Michael Jordan 1998 Finals jersey sold privately for $14 million, Hunt Auctions says

Hunt Auctions announced on Monday, 12 October 2026, that a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals had been sold for $14 million in a private sale. The auction house identified the buyer as Ron Firman, a Miami real estate investor.

The item is the red road jersey Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 Finals. It is game-worn and autographed. The Chicago Bulls won that game against the Utah Jazz, tying the series at one game each. According to ESPN, the game was played on 5 June 1998.

The Bulls won the Finals in six games. It was the sixth and final championship of Jordan's career. The 1997-98 season was the subject of the "Last Dance" documentary series, released in 2020. According to ESPN, the series had 10 episodes; The Guardian reported that it became a hit on Netflix that year.

According to ESPN, Hunt Auctions is based in Pennsylvania, and the deal was a private treaty sale.

How the price compares

If the $14 million figure is accurate, it would be the second-highest known price for a game-worn jersey. The highest is $24.12 million, paid in 2024 for the jersey Babe Ruth wore for his "called shot" home run against the Chicago Cubs in the 1932 World Series. According to ESPN, that moment came at Wrigley Field in Game 3.

Jordan's Game 1 jersey from the 1998 Finals sold at auction for about $10.1 million in 2022. His Game 3 jersey was auctioned last month for about $12.3 million. In 2023, Sotheby's sold a pair of Air Jordan sneakers he wore in Game 2 for $2.2 million.

What each side says

Hunt Auctions says the sale is the highest price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia. ESPN quoted David Hunt, the company's president, as saying Jordan's standing in the market "has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art." He added: "We are very pleased to have been able to facilitate this historic sale which serves as another benchmark for our industry."

Hunt said a private collector bought the jersey from the Bulls in 2003. ESPN quoted him as saying it "has remained within a succinct chain of custody having only changed hands once from the original purchaser."

According to ESPN, Firman's statement was released by the auction house. ESPN quoted him as saying: "Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world. I'm very excited about the purchase."

What the reports do not include

The reports do not identify the seller. They do not describe any independent verification of the price, which comes only from the auction house. They do not explain how the jersey was authenticated or matched to Game 2, or give the terms of the sale. They include no comment from Jordan, the Bulls or the NBA. The Guardian and ESPN attribute the sale and the record claim to Hunt Auctions; the AP summary attributes the record claim to an auction house it does not name.

Analysis

If the price holds, the sale would add to a pattern of rising prices for items from Jordan's 1998 Finals run, with three jerseys from that series each reported above $10 million. Supporters of this market may see it as evidence that top sports items now trade like fine art, as Hunt Auctions argues. Others may note that private sales are harder to scrutinise than public auctions. Because the price and record claim come from a single source, the significance of the sale may depend on whether further details, such as authentication or independent confirmation, become available.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.