Basketball icon Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals sneakers have fetched more than $2.2m (£1.8m) at auction, making them the most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold.
The Air Jordan 13 was worn by Jordan in Game 2 of the NBA Finals in his final year with the Chicago Bulls — commonly known as The Last Dance and the inspiration for the Netflix series of the same name.
Jordan wore the black and red shoe, or the Bred as he was known in the Air Jordans line, when he scored 37 points in the Bulls’ 93-88 win over the Utah Jazz.
These sneakers were among the basketball player’s last publicly released Air Jordans during his Bulls career.
The exquisite pair of shoes broke auction records at Sotheby’s on Tuesday.
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear and Contemporary Collectibles, said: “Today’s record-breaking auction results are further evidence that demand for Michael Jordan sports memorabilia continues to outpace and exceed all expectations.”
“Sotheby’s is very proud to hold the world records for the most valuable sports memorabilia offered at auction and the most valuable sneaker ever sold, both of which are – not surprisingly – directly linked to global icon Michael Jordan.”
Michael Jordan wore these sneakers in the 1998 NBA Finals
The sneakers are part of Sotheby’s Victoria Collection, a two-part collection featuring memorabilia from athletes past and present.
The Air Jordan broke the previous record of $1.8 million (£1.45 million) held by Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1.
Jordan memorabilia highly valued and sought after at auction Sotheby’s also sold his jerseywhich he wore in his first game in 1998 NBA The Grand Final, sold in September 2022 for $10.1 million (£8.1 million) – making it the most expensive match memorabilia ever sold at auction.