Auction house Sotheby’s is set to auction a special pair of Michael Jordan’s sneakers worn during the historic 1998 NBA Finals. Taking place via an online public auction from April 3 to 11, the sneakers are expected to sell for a price between US $2 and $4 million.
Photo Courtesy: Nike
The Last Dance
The Last Dance refers to the famed 1997-98 NBA season which was also Michael Jordan’s last run with the Chicago Bulls. The ’98 NBA Finals was especially thrilling with The Bulls beating Utah Jazz 93-88, and Jordan scoring a total of 37 points. It was during this game that Michael Jordan was seen sporting the iconic pair of black and red Air Jordan XIIIs. After the game, Jordan signed the sneakers and gifted them to the ball boy in the visitors’ locker room.
Photo Courtesy: Sotheby’s
Before the Air Jordan XIIIs, Michael Jordan already held the record for the most expensive sneakers sold at auction. These were a pair of the earliest known Michael Jordan Air Ships sold for US $1.472 million in 2021. However, the title of the most expensive piece of Jordan memorabilia is held by the jersey he wore during game 1 of that season’s NBA Finals, which sold for $10.1 million last year.
Interestingly, the Air Jordan XIIIs are provided in immaculate condition, which is unusual for game-worn basketball shoes, according to Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectables.
Photo Courtesy: Sotheby’s
“Michael Jordan game-worn sports memorabilia has proven time and time again to be the most elite and coveted items on the market,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectable, said in a statement. “However, items from his ‘Last Dance’ season are of a greater scale and magnitude as seen with our record-breaking sale of his Game 1 jersey in 2022. Worn in his final year with the Bulls, the iconic Air Jordans coming to auction this April is sure to excite the collector community and sports fans in this most important Jordan Year.”
