His fans will see it as a price commensurate with his legend. A pair of sneakers worn by ex-NBA superstar Michael Jordan early in his career was sold for nearly $ 1.5 million (€ 1.3 million) on Sunday, October 24, Sotheby’s announced. This is an auction record for shoes worn in matches.
#AuctionUpdate The most valuable sneakers ever offered at auction — Michael Jordan’s regular season game-worn Nike Ai… https://t.co/3NohLqkcw5
The basketball player wore these red and white Nike Air Ships in Game 5 of his first season with the Chicago Bulls in 1984, and they have since become iconic, both on and off the court.
They left well above the record held by a pair of Nike Air Jordan that sold for $ 615,000 in August 2020 during auctions organized by Christie’s.
An expanding market
The growing market for rare sports shoes is arousing the interest of collectors and the general public. In April, a pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers, worn by rapper Kanye West, smashed all records reaching $ 1.8 million at Sotheby’s. It had been bought by an investment platform through a private sale.
The signed shoes sold on Sunday predate the first Air Jordan, to which the basketball player gave his name. The Air Ships were designed by Peter Moore. Michael Jordan wore this model in 1984 and 1985, as well as modified versions in 1986.