A pair of shoes worn by NBA legend Michael Jordan early in his career have sold for over $1.5 million at auction, breaking the previous record for game-used footwear.
The iconic athlete wore the white leather shoes with the red Nike swoosh and soles in the sixth game of his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, when Nike’s Jordan-affiliated brand was just getting off the ground as a sensation on and off the court.
“The most valuable sneakers ever offered at auction – Michael Jordan’s regular season game-worn Nike Air Ships from 1984 – have just sold at $1,472,000 in our luxury sale in Las Vegas,” auction house Sotheby’s said.
The record-breaking price was swiftly surpassed by a pair of Nike Air Jordans that sold for $615,000 at a Christie’s auction in August 2020.
In April, a pair of Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1s sold for $1.8 million, breaking the previous record for trainers — although that was a private sale.
Jordan’s autographed size-13 lace-ups were in good overall condition, according to Sotheby’s, with traces of court wear and tear. Tommie Tim III Lewis, a ball boy for the Denver Nuggets during the 1984-85 season, received the pair as a gift from the player.
The demand for unique sports shoes is on the rise. The record price for shoes has been beaten multiple times recently, as what was formerly considered a niche industry attracted attention from both the general public and top collectors.
And since the release of “The Last Dance,” an ESPN/Netflix documentary chronicling Jordan’s saga, the market value of everything associated with him has risen.
