Update [August 18, 2020]: The entire set of Michael Jordan’s game-worn Nike sneakers were sold at auction for a total of $931,875. The set included the Air Jordan 1s MJ wore when he shattered a backboard during an exhibition game in Italy. That pair sold for $615,000 — a new world record for sneakers — and played a huge part in getting the entire set to nearly break the $1 million mark. The auction ended on August 13. Read the original story below.
Christie’s and Stadium Goods have come together for an epic auction featuring some of Michael Jordan's rarest game-worn sneakers. Officially called "Original Air: Michael Jordan Game-Worn and Player Exclusive Sneaker Rarities," the sale is being billed as "offering the most comprehensive sneaker record of Michael Jordan’s era-defining Chicago Bulls career."
The "Original Air" portion of the auction consists of two game-worn sneakers and one practice-worn sneaker. Headlining the assortment is a player exclusive of the Air Ship (1984), which Jordan wore prior to the Air Jordan 1 during the NBA preseason and early games of his rookie year. This particular shoe is expected to fetch anywhere from $350,000 to $550,000.
Next up is the Air Jordan 7 "Olympic" (1992). MJ laced these up during the Dream Team's gold medal game against Croatia at the 1992 Olympics. The sneaker is estimated to be auctioned for between $50,000 and $70,000.
The last entry is a pair of "Chicago" Air Jordan 14s (1998) that Michael wore during practice in between games of the 1998 NBA Finals. He was famously seen sporting the rare colorway in scenes from The Last Dance documentary.
"Michael Jordan’s tremendous impact on basketball and sneakers is universally acknowledged, and it can be easy to think there aren’t any new stories to add to the legend. But as we’ve seen with The Last Dance and now with our ‘Original Air’ auction with Christie’s, there are still lesser known narratives in the legacy that create great interest," said John McPheters, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Stadium Goods. "The pieces we’ve put together for this auction are truly unique, and will have deep resonance for Jordan fans, sneaker connoisseurs and pop culture collectors alike."
Browsing for the online sale begins July 23, as the auction will run from July 30 to August 13. A portion of the proceeds from one of the lots will be given to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF).
Learn more here.
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