Michael Jordan sneakers sell for nearly $1.5 mn, an auction record

A pair of sneakers worn by National Basketball Association superstar Michael Jordan early in his career sold for nearly US$1.5 million on Sunday, setting a record price at auction for game-worn footwear, Sotheby's said.

The white leather shoes with the red Nike swoosh and soles were worn by the iconic player in the fifth game of his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, when Nike's Jordan-affiliated brand was only just taking off as a sensation both on and off the court.

"The most valuable sneakers ever offered at auction – Michael Jordan's regular season game-worn Nike Air Ships from 1984 – have just sold at US$1,472,000 in our luxury sale in Las Vegas," the auction house said in a statement on Twitter.

The astronomical price easily beat the record held by a pair of Nike Air Jordans which sold for US$615,000 in August 2020 at a Christie's auction.

Jordan's autographed size-13 lace-ups were in good overall condition, with signs of court wear and tear, Sotheby's said. The pair was a gift from the player to Tommie Tim III Lewis, who was a ball boy for the Denver Nuggets during the 1984-85 season.

The market for rare sports shoes is soaring. The record price for sneakers has been broken several times recently as what was seen as a niche market a decade ago now attracts interest from the general public as well as leading collectors.

And the market value of objects identified with the retired basketball superstar have skyrocketed since the release of "The Last Dance," an ESPN/Netflix documentary that chronicles the saga of Jordan and his Chicago Bulls.

The sneakers that went under the hammer on Sunday predate the first Air Jordans, the now-classic line that quickly morphed from popular basketball gear to sought-after streetwear worldwide.