Michael Jordan’s shoes from Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold in a record-breaking deal at Sotheby’s auction house.
Heading into Tuesday, the most ever paid for a pair of sneakers at auction was $1.472 million in 2021.
That was for a pair of Nike Air Ships, widely considered the oldest-known kicks Jordan ever sported in a regular season outing.
This week, that mark was broken – by a lot.
The “Air Jordan XIII Breds” sold for $2.238 million on Tuesday.
Michael Jordan’s game-worn/autographed shoes from Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals sells for a record-breaking $2.2 million 😱 pic.twitter.com/awXN0UeUWK
— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) April 12, 2023
What was so special about Game 2 of Jordan’s last NBA Finals appearance? He scored 37 points and recorded no turnovers in that one as his Chicago Bulls earned a five-point victory over the Utah Jazz.
They would ultimately go on to win the title that year – the final of Jordan’s illustrious career.
Hence the meaning behind these incredible shoes.
Big picture, Jordan remains an absolute legend even in the eyes of a generation that never got to see him play. Tales of his on-the-court exploits, policy on women he met at clubs and fierce competitiveness are littered all over the internet.
Fans know all about his beef with Charles Barkley, unique relationship with Mary J. Blige and impact on today’s stars like Zion Williamson.
While LeBron James is certainly a candidate to one day be considered the GOAT, in most people’s eyes the distinction solely belongs to Jordan at the moment.
Molly Qerim’s outfit on First Take causes a stir. https://t.co/FMIJCDMXNx
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 13, 2023
It goes without saying that Jordan’s run as the owner of the Charlotte Hornets left something to be desired, but that looks like it might be coming to an end soon.
When it does, it will likely only enhance his legacy. The stain that the Hornets leave on it on a seemingly annual basis will be gone.
What will that do to the price of his shoes going forward? Time will tell.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
