Michael Jordan's 'Last Dance' Jersey Shatters Records, Fetching $14 Million

The iconic jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals, famously known as the "Last Dance" season, has achieved a record-breaking sale price of $14 million. Hunt Auctions announced on Monday that the game-worn, autographed Chicago Bulls jersey was acquired by Miami real estate investor Ron Firman in a private transaction.

This sale marks a new pinnacle for basketball memorabilia, becoming the most expensive piece of its kind ever sold. According to Hunt Auctions, this Jordan jersey now ranks as the second-highest sale historically for any game-worn sports jersey. The current record holder is the New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, which sold for $24.12 million in 2024.

In 1998, Jordan and the Chicago Bulls triumphed over the Utah Jazz in six games, securing their sixth and final championship title during Jordan's tenure with the team. Game 2, played on June 5, 1998, in Salt Lake City, saw the Bulls even the series at 1-1, largely due to a stellar performance from Jordan, who recorded 37 points, five rebounds, and three assists in a 93-88 victory. He would later clinch his sixth and final Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, an NBA record, nine days after this game.

The highly acclaimed 2020 documentary series, "The Last Dance," chronicled the 1997-98 Bulls season. David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, stated, "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."

Hunt further commented, "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."

This is at least the third instance where a Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals has commanded a price of $10 million or more. A jersey from Game 1 sold for approximately $10.1 million in 2022, and a jersey from Game 3 was auctioned last month for about $12.3 million.

"Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world," Firman stated in a news release. "I’m very excited about the purchase." The jersey acquired by Firman was originally purchased from the Bulls by a private collector in 2003 and has maintained a clear chain of custody, having changed hands only once since its initial purchase, according to Hunt.

Items associated with the 1998 Finals and Jordan's final season with the Bulls continue to generate immense interest among collectors. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers worn by Jordan in Game 2 against the Jazz sold for $2.2 million via Sotheby's, setting a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold at the time.