The Air Jordan 13 sneakers that Jordan wore to the 1998 NBA Finals are the most valuable sneakers ever sold.
A pair of sneakers worn by NBA superstar Michael Jordan has sold for $2.2 million, making them the most valuable athletic footwear ever, according to auction house Sotheby’s.
The shoes up for auction were a pair of Air Jordan 13 sneakers that the basketball great wore to the 1998 NBA Finals known as “The Last Dance.”
The online sale confirms Jordan’s position as the most valuable athlete in sportswear memorabilia auctions.
The previous record holder was a pair of Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1s that sold at the New York City auction house in April 2021 for $1.8 million.
Jordan wore his sneakers during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, where he scored 37 points in a game against the Utah Jazz. After the game, the superstar Chicago Bulls shooting guard reportedly signed and gave the kicks to a jazz ballboy who worked in the visitors’ locker room.
“Today’s record-breaking result once again proves that demand for Michael Jordan sports memorabilia continues to outperform and exceed expectations,” Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles Brahm Wachter said Tuesday.
The price, including fees and commission, came in just above Sotheby’s low pre-sale estimate of $2 million, but well below the $4 million predicted high.
The auction house said Jordan autographed the shoes and gave them to a batboy after the game.
Sotheby’s did not identify the seller, but said it was not the original recipient. Nor did it name the purchaser of the size 43 shoe.
Another historic day #SothebysNewYork! Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 2 Air Jordan 13s from the famous ‘The Last Dance’ season sold for $2.2 million, setting a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold. pic.twitter.com/myK5uWZVBE
— Sotheby’s (@Sotheby’s) April 11, 2023
The sneakers are known as “Bred” for their black and red color, a style Jordan wore throughout most of his trophy-laden career.
Jordan, now 60, spent most of his playing career with the Bulls, with whom he won all six of his titles, but came out of retirement in 2001 to play two seasons with the Washington Wizards.
The retired star now owns the Charlotte Hornets, based in his childhood home in North Carolina, and reportedly still earns millions each year in royalties from sales of Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers.
Tuesday’s sale coincided with the release this month of the movie Air, about Nike’s pursuit of Jordan.
The $10.1 million sale of Jordan’s jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals in September 2022 beat a record held by Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” Argentina jersey.