A set of Michael Jordan’s sneakers – Air Jordan of course – has sold for $8 million (£6.33 million) at auction in New York.
This was not a pair of sneakers, but a set of shoes collected from the NBA star’s time with the Chicago Bulls, the highlight of a career full of them.
At a sale on February 2, a set of six shoes, called The Dynasty Collection, made a total $8,032,800.
This figure is a record for match-worn sneakers sold at auction.
The shoes were an Air Jordan VI from 1991, and Air Jordan VII from 1992, a 1993 Air Jordan VIII, a 1996 Air Jordan IX, a XII from 1997 and an Air Jordan XIV from 1998.
All are signed and were sold with limited edition pictures from several NBA finals in which they were worn.
Jordan’s legend is closely linked to the Chicago Bulls. Image courtesy NBA.
The sale meets expectations rather than surpassing them. The estimate was $7 million to $10 million.
Sotheby’s held the auction. Their head of modern collectibles, Brahm Wachter, said: “Today’s record-breaking price is a testament to the GOAT.
“The Dynasty Collection undeniably ranks among the most significant compilations of sports memorabilia in history. Serving as both a reminder of Michael Jordan’s lasting impact on the world and a tangible expression of his recognised legendary status, its significance is further validated by this monumental result.”
The collection is currently on show in Dubai.
In the collectibles world Michael Jordan is probably the most valuable modern sportsman. Babe Ruth is perhaps the most collectible and valuable of all time.
His 1998 NBA Finals shirt made £8 million at a Sotheby’s sale in 2022. A signed pair of Nike Air Ships made nearly £500,000 in 2023. Air Jordan 13s from the 1998 NBA finals series were also sold last year, realising around £2 million.
Jordan has transcended his own sport to become a cultural icon. And a global one.
Can anyone rival him?
In football, Lionel Messi perhaps. Tiger Woods in golf. Historically, Muhammad Ali in boxing.
Today’s athletes are brands. They’re very aware of their own value, and the value of their equipment, shirts, and signatures.
When a set of Messi shirts from the Qatar World Cup were sold last year it was by the player himself.
The top stars are also wealthy in a way that previous generations of sports people weren’t. It’s unlikely that someone like Jordan will ever be compelled to sell his own personal collection in the way that, for example, England World Cup winners from 1966 have.
