Earlier today, Sotheby’s set a world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold with its online auction of a single lot Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 2 Air Jordan XIII for $2.2 million, just after the $2-4 million estimate with fees considered. The iconic pumps, one of the most important parts of Jordan’s storied career, hailed from his final year with the Chicago Bulls.
The record sale, secured by a one-time bid of $1.8 million, makes the sneakers one of the most expensive Michael Jordan items ever sold at auction, second only to Sotheby’s. basketball legend’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey sold for $10.1 million last September, which remains the world record for all sports memorabilia worn by the game.
The famous shoes were worn during the most recognizable season of Jordan’s career, helping to cement his place as the GOAT (greatest of all time) in basketball history. Known as the Last Dance, the 1997–98 season was the player’s finale with the Chicago Bulls in the team’s journey to a sixth NBA championship in eight seasons. The season ended with a rematch of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Although the Bulls lost Game 1, Jordan came back strong in Game 2, leading the Bulls to a 93-88 victory. The Bulls ultimately won the series in six games.
Michael Jordan signed each shoe in silver. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
After Game 2, in which he wore this particular pair of sneakers, Jordan gifted the Air Jordans to the ball boy, who had found Jordan’s lost jacket in a previous practice. After the game, Jordan took off his sneakers in the locker room, signed each one in silver, and gave them to the ball boy as a thank you. This intact set is the only complete pair of sneakers worn by Jordan in the NBA Finals that year; it was privately negotiated before, but it was the first public offering.
Considered an “elevated” style – short for the black and red team colors – the shoes were released to the public in May 1998, one of Air Jordan’s last releases during his playing career with the Bulls. The first pair of race sneakers Jordan wore were banned by the league for violating its uniform code, which gave the “race” colorway mythical status in sneaker culture.
The sale coincided with the recent release of the film Airwhich tells the story of Nike’s rise to sneaker dominance through its partnership with Michael Jordan in the mid-1980s and the genesis of the famous Air Jordan sneaker.
Pele’s 1975 New York Cosmos ‘Triumphant Debut’ jersey. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Jordan Sneakers has launched VICTORIAM, a two-part auction series featuring elite sports memorabilia from a variety of athletes. These lots included Brazilian soccer legend Pelé’s jersey that he wore in his 1975 debut game with the New York Cosmos (sold for $177,800) and the basketball that Kobe Bryant brought to the White House in January. 2010 for President Obama to sign in commemoration of the Lakers championship held the previous year (sold for $44,450). Second part of VICTORIAM grossed nearly $1.5 million against an estimate of $1.4–2.1 million.
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