Game-worn Michael Jordan shoes break world auction record for sneakers
Michael Jordan is still setting records nearly two decades after the end of his NBA career.
A pair of Jordan’s game-worn shoes from 1985 sold for $560,000 on Sunday. That’s a new world record for a pair of sneakers, according to Sotheby’s.
The sneakers broke the previous record of $437,500. They also blew the estimated $150,000 price out of the water.
Jordan’s sneakers were unique in multiple ways. They are original Air Jordans, released at the very beginning of Jordan’s merchandising dominance. They are also slightly different than the versions available for sale at the time in color and material, having been made exclusively for Jordan himself. The right shoe also features Jordan’s signature in black permanent marker.
Sotheby’s picked a perfect time for the auction, as interest in Jordan is high due to the airing of ESPN’s “The Last Dance” documentary. It seems Jordan’s fears about how the documentary was going to portray him might have been overstated.
