A pair of sneakers worn by NBA superstar Michael Jordan early in his career sold for nearly $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 $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 $615,000 in August 2020 at a Christie’s auction.

A pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s worn by rapper Kanye West sold for $1.8 million in April, triple the previous record for sneakers — although that was a private sale.

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 Sunday predate the first Air Jordans, the now-classic line that quickly morphed from popular basketball gear to sought-after streetwear worldwide.

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A BANKABLE STAR

The Air Ship shoe that served as the genesis for the Air Jordan series was designed by Bruce Kilgore and originally released in 1984, and it was the first sneaker worn by Jordan as an NBA professional.

That year Jordan, already a bankable star given his college basketball heroics, completed a deal with Nike in which the company gave him his own signature line of shoes and clothing.

The deal was a first for Nike, and it paved the way for a proliferation of player-brand collaborations.

Jordan’s now-famous black and red Air Ships became a focus of controversy in 1984 when the National Basketball Association sent Nike a letter informing the company that the player’s colorful sneakers which he wore during an October 18 preseason game that year violated the league’s uniform clause.

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Sunday’s auction also sold a pair of Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro x OVO “Gold" sneakers, designed under a collaboration between the shoemaker and rapper Drake, for $20,160. The model was never released to the public, making them a rare set of shoes.

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

A pair of sneakers worn by NBA superstar Michael Jordan early in his career sold for nearly $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 $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 $615,000 in August 2020 at a Christie’s auction. A pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s worn by rapper Kanye West sold for $1.8 million in April, triple the previous record for sneakers — although that was a private sale. 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 Sunday predate the first Air Jordans, the now-classic line that quickly morphed from popular basketball gear to sought-after streetwear worldwide. ALSO READ: El Clasico: David Alaba strikes as Real Madrid beat struggling rivals Barcelona in La Liga A BANKABLE STAR The Air Ship shoe that served as the genesis for the Air Jordan series was designed by Bruce Kilgore and originally released in 1984, and it was the first sneaker worn by Jordan as an NBA professional. That year Jordan, already a bankable star given his college basketball heroics, completed a deal with Nike in which the company gave him his own signature line of shoes and clothing. The deal was a first for Nike, and it paved the way for a proliferation of player-brand collaborations. Jordan’s now-famous black and red Air Ships became a focus of controversy in 1984 when the National Basketball Association sent Nike a letter informing the company that the player’s colorful sneakers which he wore during an October 18 preseason game that year violated the league’s uniform clause. ALSO READ: Premier League: Mohamed Salah scores hat-trick as Liverpool put five past shambolic Manchester United Sunday’s auction also sold a pair of Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro x OVO “Gold" sneakers, designed under a collaboration between the shoemaker and rapper Drake, for $20,160. The model was never released to the public, making them a rare set of shoes.

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

A pair of Michael Jordan’s sneakers on Thursday shattered a record set just months ago by the sale of another pair of the basketball legend’s shoes as Christie’s auction house confirmed that the game-worn sneakes have been sold for a whopping $615,000.

The Air Jordan 1 Highs, worn by the NBA superstar during a 1985 exhibition match in Italy, helped Jordan dunk the ball so hard that it ended up shattering the glass backboard.

"This is the original shoe with an actual piece of the backboard, a piece of glass, in the sole of the shoe," said Caitlin Donovan, head of handbag and sneaker sales at Christie's -- which organized the auction with Stadium Goods.

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Jordan ended up with 30 points under his belt while wearing the size 13.5 shoes, red and black in colours of Chicago Bulls team.

Previously, Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan 1 had set a record in May when it was auctioned off for a mind-boggling $560,000, while the fresh auction bagged an estimated range of $650,000 and $850,000.

The record setting sales emphasizes the rocketing market value of objects linked to the retired basketball megastar since the release of documentary ‘The Last Dance’ that chronicles the saga of Jordan and Chicago Bulls.

It also confirms that the lowly sneaker now has a place of pride in the world of wealthy collectors alongside more traditional collectibles.

&nbsp;

A pair of Michael Jordan’s sneakers on Thursday shattered a record set just months ago by the sale of another pair of the basketball legend’s shoes as Christie’s auction house confirmed that the game-worn sneakes have been sold for a whopping $615,000.

A pair of Michael Jordan’s sneakers on Thursday shattered a record set just months ago by the sale of another pair of the basketball legend’s shoes as Christie’s auction house confirmed that the game-worn sneakes have been sold for a whopping $615,000. The Air Jordan 1 Highs, worn by the NBA superstar during a 1985 exhibition match in Italy, helped Jordan dunk the ball so hard that it ended up shattering the glass backboard. "This is the original shoe with an actual piece of the backboard, a piece of glass, in the sole of the shoe," said Caitlin Donovan, head of handbag and sneaker sales at Christie's -- which organized the auction with Stadium Goods. ALSO READ: Sister Act: Serena beats Venus to reach Lexington quarter-final Jordan ended up with 30 points under his belt while wearing the size 13.5 shoes, red and black in colours of Chicago Bulls team. Previously, Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan 1 had set a record in May when it was auctioned off for a mind-boggling $560,000, while the fresh auction bagged an estimated range of $650,000 and $850,000. The record setting sales emphasizes the rocketing market value of objects linked to the retired basketball megastar since the release of documentary ‘The Last Dance’ that chronicles the saga of Jordan and Chicago Bulls. It also confirms that the lowly sneaker now has a place of pride in the world of wealthy collectors alongside more traditional collectibles.

Michael Jordan's sneakers set new record, sell for $615,000

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

Michael Jordan's sneakers set new record, sell for $615,000