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.
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jersey → wear → memorabilia
Pennsylvania-based Hunt Auctions announced the sale on October 12, 2026, and identified the buyer as Miami real estate investor Ron Firman.
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Auctions → base → 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.
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Bulls → accord → game
The sale confirms that Jordan memorabilia has moved beyond the world of sports collecting and into the territory of major cultural assets.
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memorabilia → confirm → 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.
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importance → say → art
The jersey from game 2
Jordan wore the red road jersey during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.
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Jordan → wear → Jazz
The Bulls won that game, tying the series after losing the opener, before going on to win the championship in six games.
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Bulls → win → games
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.
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which → become → report
The jersey was also autographed by Jordan, adding another layer of value for collectors.
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jersey → autograph → 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.
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it → describe → collector
Hunt Auctions says it has since remained within a concise chain of custody, changing hands only once from the original purchaser.
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it → say → purchaser
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.
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they → pay → which
For Firman, the purchase represents more than an investment in a rare object.
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purchase → represent → object
“Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world...
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who → admire → world
I’m very excited about the purchase,” Firman said in a news release distributed by the auction house.
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Firman → ’m → 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.
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jersey → make → memorabilia
It also places it among the highest-priced game-worn jerseys in any sport.
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It → place → 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.
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jersey → wear → Series
That jersey sold for $24.12 million in 2024, as per the report.
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jersey → sell → 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.
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that → sit → million
The market for items connected to Jordan’s final championship season has become exceptionally strong.
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market → connect → season
Jordan items keep breaking records
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items → break → records
This is at least the third time a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals has sold for $10 million or more.
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jersey → sell → 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.
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News → sell → sale
Interest extends beyond jerseys.
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Interest → extend → 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.
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pair → wear → million
At the time, it was described as a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold.
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it → describe → sneakers
The pattern shows how the final Bulls championship has become one of the most valuable chapters in sports collecting.
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championship → show → 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.
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fans → tie → popularity
Why this jersey is so valuable
The jersey’s value comes from several factors.
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value → come → 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.
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It → wear → history
Jordan’s cultural status also matters.
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status → matter → ?
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.
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influence → regard → footwear
The 1998 Finals carry particular significance because they marked the end of the Bulls’ second three-peat.
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they → carry → peat
Jordan’s final shot in Game 6, followed by Chicago’s championship win, remains one of the most recognisable moments in basketball history.
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shot → follow → history
Auctions described the sale as another benchmark for the memorabilia industry.
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Auctions → describe → industry
The $14 million price suggests that rare, authenticated items from defining moments in sports history can now command prices comparable to fine art.
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items → suggest → art
For collectors, the sale reinforces the importance of provenance, condition, and cultural relevance.
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sale → reinforce → provenance
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.
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it → rise → athlete
For basketball fans, the sale is another reminder of Jordan’s enduring appeal.
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sale → endure → appeal
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
