Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Jersey Sells for Record $14 Million

Michael Jordan continues to make history more than two decades after his final NBA appearance.

The Chicago Bulls legend has added another remarkable record to his name after a game-worn and autographed jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $14 million in a private treaty transaction. The sale, announced by Hunt Auctions, makes it the most expensive piece of basketball memorabilia ever sold.

The jersey was worn by Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz on June 5, 1998. It is one of the most recognizable pieces connected to the final championship season of his legendary career.

Hunt Auctions identified Miami real estate investor Ron Firman as the buyer. The transaction was completed privately, with the auction house describing the result as a world record for basketball memorabilia.

The $14 million price also places the jersey among the most valuable game-worn sports jerseys ever sold. Only one known game-used jersey has commanded a higher price: the New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series, which sold for $24.12 million in 2024.

Jordan’s Historic Game 2 Performance

The significance of the jersey goes far beyond its connection to one of basketball’s greatest players.

Jordan wore the red Chicago Bulls road jersey during a crucial Game 2 matchup at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Chicago had entered the game looking to recover after losing the opening game of the series to the Jazz.

Jordan responded with one of his trademark performances.

The Bulls star scored 37 points as Chicago defeated Utah 93-88, leveling the series at one game apiece. His performance helped put the Bulls back on track as they pursued what would ultimately become the sixth NBA championship of Jordan’s career.

The Finals eventually went the full six games, with Chicago winning the decisive contest in Utah.

Jordan was named Finals MVP after averaging 32.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game during the series. His final championship with the Bulls cemented the 1997-98 campaign as one of the defining seasons of his career.

That season later became the centerpiece of the widely watched 2020 documentary series “The Last Dance,” which introduced a new generation of fans to the story of Jordan and the Bulls’ final championship run.

A Jersey Connected to the Last Dance

The 1998 Finals hold a special place in sports history because they represented the final championship chapter of Jordan’s first career with Chicago.

The Bulls had already established themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports, winning five championships between 1991 and 1997. The 1998 season gave Jordan and his teammates an opportunity to complete another title run despite uncertainty surrounding the future of the team.

Jordan eventually delivered.

Chicago defeated Utah in six games, giving Jordan his sixth championship and sixth Finals MVP award. It was also the Bulls’ second three-peat of the decade.

The final moments of Game 6 became one of the most famous scenes in NBA history. Jordan hit a jumper over Utah defender Bryon Russell with 5.2 seconds remaining, giving Chicago an 87-86 lead. The Bulls held on to win the championship, while the image of Jordan holding his follow-through became one of the defining photographs of his career.

Jordan wore a red road jersey during Games 1, 2 and 6 of the 1998 Finals. That connection has made the red jerseys particularly valuable among collectors because they are associated with some of the most memorable moments of his final championship season in Chicago.

Third Jordan Jersey From the Series to Pass $10 Million

The latest transaction is not the first time a Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals has reached an extraordinary price.

In 2022, a jersey Jordan wore during Game 1 of the series sold for approximately $10.1 million at Sotheby’s. That sale immediately demonstrated the enormous demand for memorabilia connected to Jordan’s final championship season.

Another jersey from the same Finals recently generated even more attention.

A white Chicago Bulls home jersey worn by Jordan during Game 3 sold for $12.26 million in September 2026. That transaction had briefly established a new benchmark for Jordan basketball memorabilia before the $14 million Game 2 sale surpassed it.

As a result, at least three different Jordan jerseys from the 1998 NBA Finals have now sold for more than $10 million.

The three transactions highlight the extraordinary demand surrounding artifacts from Jordan’s final championship campaign with the Bulls.

Provenance Added to the Jersey’s Value

The history of the newly sold jersey also contributed to its significance.

According to Hunt Auctions, the piece was originally purchased directly from the Chicago Bulls by a private collector in 2003. The jersey remained with that collector before eventually being sold.

The auction house said the item had a particularly strong chain of custody, having changed hands only once since the original purchase.

The jersey was also photomatched to Game 2 by MeiGray Authentication and SIA Authentication, providing additional evidence linking it to the June 5, 1998 matchup.

Jordan’s autograph further enhanced the collectible’s appeal, with the signature authenticated through Upper Deck.

For collectors, the combination of game use, documented provenance, authentication and Jordan’s signature makes the jersey considerably more desirable than an ordinary signed sports item.

Jordan’s Memorabilia Market Continues to Grow

The latest sale demonstrates how Jordan’s influence extends far beyond basketball.

Although he has not played an NBA game in more than two decades, his memorabilia continues to attract prices normally associated with historic works of art and other highly coveted collectibles.

His sneakers have also generated enormous interest. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan shoes worn during Game 2 of the 1998 Finals sold for $2.2 million through Sotheby’s, setting a record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold at the time.

The continuing demand is largely driven by Jordan’s unique place in sports culture.

He is not only remembered for six NBA championships and five regular-season MVP awards but also for the global impact he had on basketball, footwear, fashion and popular culture.

His No. 23 Bulls jersey remains one of the most recognizable sports symbols in the world, while the story of the 1998 Bulls has gained even greater popularity following “The Last Dance.”

A New Record for Basketball Memorabilia

The $14 million transaction represents another major milestone in the rapidly growing sports memorabilia market.

While the jersey did not become the most expensive game-worn sports jersey ever sold, it now sits behind Babe Ruth’s $24.12 million 1932 World Series jersey on that broader list.

Within basketball, however, Jordan remains in a class of his own.

The fact that three jerseys from the same NBA Finals have each crossed the $10 million mark illustrates just how valuable memorabilia from the 1998 championship run has become.

More than 20 years after Jordan walked away from the NBA, collectors are still willing to spend millions to own a piece of his history.

The $14 million sale is therefore about much more than a basketball jersey. It represents the lasting legacy of a player whose influence continues to reach new generations long after his playing career ended.

For Michael Jordan, another record has been added to a career already filled with them.