Michael Jordan’s championship sneakers set record sales of $8 million

NEW YORK (AP) — A collection of sneakers worn by superstar Michael Jordan as he won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls has sold at auction for a game-record $8 million, Sotheby’s said. A new record for sneakers worn.

The six pairs of Air Jordans – one from each of the final games of the Championship Series in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 – were sold on Friday.

Sotheby’s calls it a “dynasty collection.”

Brahm Wachter of Sotheby’s said in a statement: “This is both a reminder of Michael Jordan’s lasting impact on the world and a tangible reflection of his recognized legend status. The landmark results further confirm its importance.”

“On a personal note, each of these six championship-winning sneakers worn by Michael Jordan is directly tied to some of the most memorable and important moments of his illustrious career,” Wachter told the Sun-Times ahead of the auction. “To bring them together into one collection is nothing short of magical.”

Included in the auction are iconic photos of Jordan wearing the shoe as he celebrated victories in 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1998. That’s because Bulls public relations director Tim Hallam asked Jordan for a pair of his game-worn shoes before the 1991 NBA Finals, assuming the Bulls won the championship.

Sotheby’s said Jordan agreed to sign a shoe and part ways with it, then continued to do the same after subsequent championship games.

Sotheby’s did not reveal the identity of the buyer, describing the seller only as “an American private collector” who acquired the pieces from a longtime Bulls executive.

A five-time league MVP and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Jordan was such an extraordinary player that then-NBA commissioner David Stern called him in 1992 “the measure of excellence in the game of basketball.” standard”.

The NBA renamed the MVP trophy for Jordan in 2022.

He also collaborated with Nike in the mid-1980s to create the Air Jordan shoe, which helped shake up the sneaker industry and enhance sneaker culture. The sneakers he wore in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $2.2 million at Sotheby’s last April, setting a record for a pair of sneakers.

According to Sotheby’s, the Jordan jersey from Game 1 of the series fetched the highest price at auction at $10.1 million, which was sold in 2022.

An unused ticket from Jordan’s 1984 Bulls debut sold for $468,000 through Heritage Auctions in 2022 – more than 55,000 times the face value.

contribute: Cade Heather