Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ sneakers are up for auction

An iconic pair of Air Jordan sneakers is up for sale and is expected to be the most expensive pair of sneakers ever seen at auction, with an estimated retail price of $2 million to $4 million.

Sotheby’s lists Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Nike Air Jordan 13 as worn during the basketball legend’s final season in the NBA.

The prized sneakers were worn during Game 2 of the NBA Finals, where Jordan scored 37 points as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz 93-88. After the game, Jordan autographed the sneakers and gave them to the ball boy who looked after the visitors’ locker room.

The Bulls won the 1998 NBA Finals for their sixth title of the decade.

Jordan already holds the record for the most expensive pair of sneakers at auction: in 2021, Sotheby’s sold the earliest known Michael Jordan Air Ships, also by Nike, for $1.472 million. According to Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, the latest sneakers to hit the auction block are in pristine condition, which is unusual for game-worn basketball shoes.

“Michael Jordan athletic memorabilia has consistently proven to be the most elite and coveted item on the market,” said Wachter.

He said items from Jordan’s final season are of greater value because he wore them at the height of his fame. The season recently gained an ESPN and Netflix Documentary film “The Last Dance”.

A Jordan jersey he wore in his final season recently sold for a record-breaking $10.1 million, becoming the most valuable Michael Jordan sports memorabilia ever sold.

Adding to the anticipated hype, it’s a key Jordan year on the calendar: 2023, which represents Jordan’s longtime jersey number.

Sotheby’s began selling sneakers in 2019 and formalized its streetwear and modern collectibles category in 2021. The category quickly became one of the company’s fastest-growing categories, Wachter said.

According to a Sotheby’s representative, sales in this category totaled over $48 million last year, with almost 90% of the lots sold.

“Most of our customers in this category are in their 20s to 40s, and more than 80% of the participants are new,” he said. “It was a great way to attract a new generation of collectors coming into the market.”

Bidding on the Jordan shoes begins online April 3rd and runs through April 11th Sotheby’s “Victoriam” sale.