Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey sells for record $14 million

The jersey Michael Jordan wore during Game 2 of the "Last Dance" 1998 NBA Finals has sold for a record $14 million.

Hunt Auctions announced on Monday that the game-worn, autographed Chicago Bulls jersey was purchased by Miami real estate investor Ron Firman in a private sale.

It's the highest price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia, and according to the auction house, the newly sold Jordan jersey ranks as the second-largest sale in history among game-worn sports jerseys. The New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series -- during which Ruth called his shot ahead of a home run -- went for $24.12 million in 2024.

Jordan and the Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in six games to win the 1998 championship, the sixth and final title of his career in Chicago. Game 2, played on June 5, 1998, in Salt Lake City, saw Chicago even the series 1-1 in large part due to a dominant performance from its superstar guard. Jordan put up 37 points, five rebounds, and three assists in a 93-88 victory. He would go on to collect his sixth and final Finals MVP award, two more than anyone else in NBA history, nine days later.

The wildly popular "Last Dance" documentary, released in 2020, was centered around that 1997-98 Bulls season.

"The record-setting price achieved for the related Michael Jordan jersey is yet another corroborative result as to the significance of Jordan within the industry and popular culture. This remarkable garment bore witness to one of Jordan's most hallowed NBA Finals appearances as part of his 'Last Dance' season to complete his illustrious career," David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, said in a statement.

"While Michael Jordan's importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established, it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art. We are very pleased to have been able to facilitate this historic sale which serves as another benchmark for our industry."

The previous record for a basketball memorabilia item was $12.26 million for the home jersey worn by Jordan in Game 3 of the 1998 Finals, which was sold via auction in September.

-Field Level Media/Reuters