“Shark tank” investor and entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary has revealed himself as one of the buyers behind the most expensive sports card sale in history: a 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman featuring NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
In a statement, Kevin O’Leary said he partnered with hobby veterans Matt “Shyne” Allen and Paul Warshaw to form a syndicate, avoiding a bidding war and securing the card together. The rare card, which includes both players’ signatures and NBA logo patches from their jerseys, sold for $12.932 million at Heritage Auctions last Saturday, surpassing the previous record set in 2022 by a one-of-a-kind 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card.
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“We formed a syndicate so we didn’t have to compete with each other. Matt Allen and Paul Warshaw, both legends in ‘The Hobby.’ Shyne is the nickname of Matt Allen, he was the guy that did the research. We bought it together. Yes, we did. And I’m very proud to own it.” he said.
The hammer came down at $2.9 million for the Kobe–MJ dual card, one of the wildest auctions I’ve ever watched. The last minute was pure madness: bids flying, voices raised, and plenty of bleeps to keep it clean.
This wasn’t about missing out. This was about pride, ego, and the… pic.twitter.com/STDWOPrQ49
— Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) August 25, 2025
O’Leary, who made his fortune selling The Learning Company to Mattel for $4.2 billion in 1999, admitted he was initially skeptical about the value of sports cards. Introduced to the hobby three years ago by Warshaw, he came to view high-end collectibles as akin to fine art.
Kevin O’Leary Shares Honest Thoughts on Mortgage Rates and AI
“Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary has poured cold water on hopes that U.S. mortgage rates will dip below 5% again, saying the days of “free money” are over.
In a recent social media video, O’Leary argued that historically low rates were an anomaly, and that current economic strength, bolstered by artificial intelligence–driven productivity gains, makes a return to those levels improbable. He pointed to record-high stock markets and predicted that tariff-related economic pressures will ease by year’s end, stabilizing rates in a 10–15% range, with 7% mortgages being historically normal.
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“The economy is stronger than people think. The tariff issues will be gone by the end of the year and then we settle into a 10 to 15% range,” he said.
I think it’s going to take a very, very long time for that to happen, if ever. I think the days of free money are over. Why is that? I think the economy is moving into a more productive phase. It’s one of the reasons the indices are at new highs, driven by AI. I think the economy… pic.twitter.com/HHMi8hkPzS
— Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) August 23, 2025
O’Leary advised prospective homebuyers to adjust expectations rather than overstretch financially. He recommended limiting mortgage payments to no more than one-third of after-tax income and warned that buying beyond one’s means can lead to financial strain due to ongoing maintenance costs.
Recent data from Freddie Mac shows a slight easing in borrowing costs, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling to 6.58%, its lowest point since October 2024, and the 15-year fixed rate dropping to 5.69%. Still, Kevin O’Leary maintains that such figures are far from the sub-5% territory many buyers are hoping for.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
