A red Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals has sold privately for $14 million, setting a new record for basketball memorabilia. Pennsylvania-based Hunt Auctions announced the sale on October 12, 2026, and identified the buyer as Miami real estate investor Ron Firman. According to ABC News, the jersey is the one Jordan wore on June 5, 1998, when the Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz to even the championship series at one game apiece.The sale confirms that Jordan memorabilia has moved beyond the world of sports collecting and into the territory of major cultural assets. Hunt Auctions president David Hunt said Jordan’s importance in the memorabilia market has escalated into an elite asset class more commonly associated with iconic works of art.
The jersey from game 2
Jordan wore the red road jersey during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. The Bulls won that game, tying the series after losing the opener, before going on to win the championship in six games. That series was Jordan’s sixth and final NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls. The 1997-98 season later became the subject of the 10-episode documentary series The Last Dance, released in 2020, which renewed global interest in Jordan’s final run with the Bulls, as per the report.The jersey was also autographed by Jordan, adding another layer of value for collectors. Hunt Auctions described it as a game-worn, autographed road jersey from the Finals, rather than a replica or a jersey worn only in practice.
A clear chain of ownership
The jersey entered a private collection in 2003, when it was originally purchased from the Bulls by a collector. Hunt Auctions says it has since remained within a concise chain of custody, changing hands only once from the original purchaser.That provenance is important in high-value sports memorabilia. Buyers are often willing to pay more for items with documented links to the athlete, the team, and the specific game in which they were used.For Firman, the purchase represents more than an investment in a rare object. “Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world… I’m very excited about the purchase,” Firman said in a news release distributed by the auction house.
A record for basketball memorabilia
Image courtesy: Getty Images
The $14 million price makes the jersey the most expensive piece of basketball memorabilia ever sold. It also places it among the highest-priced game-worn jerseys in any sport. The only known game-worn jersey to sell for more is the Babe Ruth jersey worn during his famous “called shot” home run against the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. That jersey sold for $24.12 million in 2024, as per the report.Jordan’s jersey now sits ahead of other major basketball collectibles, including another 1998 Finals jersey that sold for about $12.3 million last month. The market for items connected to Jordan’s final championship season has become exceptionally strong.
Jordan items keep breaking records
This is at least the third time a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals has sold for $10 million or more. A jersey from Game 1 sold at auction for approximately $10.1 million in 2022, while a Game 3 jersey brought about $12.3 million in a sale last month, reported ABC News.Interest extends beyond jerseys. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers worn by Jordan in Game 2 against the Jazz sold through Sotheby’s for $2.2 million. At the time, it was described as a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold.The pattern shows how the final Bulls championship has become one of the most valuable chapters in sports collecting. Items tied to Jordan’s last season with Chicago carry both historical significance and the emotional weight of an era that many fans regard as the peak of basketball’s global popularity.
Why this jersey is so valuable
The jersey’s value comes from several factors. It was worn in an NBA Finals game, connected to Jordan’s sixth championship, autographed by the player, and preserved with a clear ownership history.Jordan’s cultural status also matters. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and his influence extends beyond sport into footwear, advertising, film, and global popular culture.The 1998 Finals carry particular significance because they marked the end of the Bulls’ second three-peat. Jordan’s final shot in Game 6, followed by Chicago’s championship win, remains one of the most recognisable moments in basketball history.
A new benchmark for collectors
Motivational Quote by Michael Jordan on confidence, discipline and achievement
Hunt Auctions described the sale as another benchmark for the memorabilia industry. The $14 million price suggests that rare, authenticated items from defining moments in sports history can now command prices comparable to fine art.For collectors, the sale reinforces the importance of provenance, condition, and cultural relevance. A jersey is not valuable simply because it is old or expensive; its worth rises when it can be tied directly to a legendary athlete and a historic performance.For basketball fans, the sale is another reminder of Jordan’s enduring appeal. Nearly three decades after he wore the jersey in Salt Lake City, a piece of fabric from that night has become a $14 million symbol of one of sport’s greatest careers.
