MIAMI (AP) — A game-worn, autographed Michael Jordan road jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals has been privately sold for $14 million, an auction house announced Monday, calling it the highest price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia.
Pennsylvania-based Hunt Auctions announced the private treaty sale and identified the buyer as Miami real estate investor Ron Firman. The red jersey is the one Jordan wore in Game 2 of that series on June 5, 1998; he and the Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz that night to even the matchup at a game apiece.
Jordan and the Bulls would go on to win the series in six games, the sixth and final title of his Hall of Fame career. That 1997-98 season was the subject of the 10-episode “Last Dance” documentary series that was released in 2020.
“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,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions. "We are very pleased to have been able to facilitate this historic sale which serves as another benchmark for our industry.”
The $14 million price would be the second-biggest known cost for a game-worn jersey, behind the $24.12 million paid in 2024 for the jersey worn by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees when he hit the “called shot” home run against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series.
This sale becomes at least the third time a Jordan jersey from that 1998 finals has fetched at least $10 million. A jersey from Game 1 was sold at auction for about $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 said in a news release distributed by the auction house. “I’m very excited about the purchase."
The jersey that Firman purchased was originally bought from the Bulls by a private collector in 2003, Hunt said, adding that it “has remained within a succinct chain of custody having only changed hands once from the original purchaser.”
Just about anything related to the 1998 finals and Jordan's final season with the Bulls has been the subject of massive interest in the collector space. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers that he wore in Game 2 against the Jazz was sold by Sotheby's for $2.2 million, touted at the time as “a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold.”
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FILE - Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan pulls the ball out of reach of Utah Jazz guard Jeff Hornacek during third quarter action in Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Salt Lake City, June 5, 1998. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)
SHANGHAI (AP) — Alexander Zverev clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking on Monday to cap a breakout year in which he won his first two Grand Slam titles.
Helped by a season-ending injury to Jannik Sinner, the 29-year-old Zverev will become the oldest player to achieve the year-end honor for the first time, the ATP Tour announced.
Zverev is currently No. 2 but will overtake No. 1 Sinner before the season ends next month. The first possible date that Zverev could become No. 1 is Nov. 2 — while he is mathematically certain of the top spot by the season's final rankings on Nov. 23.
Zverev became assured of finishing No. 1 when No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz was beaten by Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters.
Zverev won the French Open and U.S. Open titles this year and also reached the Australian Open semifinals and the Wimbledon final.
Before this year, his best Grand Slam results were three finals.
“It’s been a fantastic season for me winning in Paris and New York and knowing that I will finish the year on top of the rankings is just a dream come true,” Zverev said.
“So much work and effort have been put into achieving this goal, especially after coming back from the ankle injury,” Zverev added, referring to when he severely twisted his right ankle during a 2022 French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal and was pushed away in a wheelchair.
Zverev is next due to play Alexander Bublik in Shanghai on Tuesday.
Sinner, who hasn’t played since beating Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July, announced last week that he is sitting out the rest of the season due to inflammation in his right knee.
In 2024, Zverev finished as year-end No. 2 for the first time.
Zverev's ascension to the top ranking comes after two of his ex-girlfriends accused him of physical abuse.
One case was resolved following an agreement between German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his former partner. The ATP Tour investigated another case and in January 2023 concluded there was insufficient evidence.
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Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates his victory against Cameron Norrie of Britain during their men's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns a ball to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during the men's singles quarterfinals match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, reacts during the men's singles quarterfinals match against Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns a ball to Shang Juncheng, of China, during the second round of the men's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns a ball to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during the men's singles quarterfinals match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
