Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with the final sale price and additional details after the auction.
CNN
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Back in 1998, Michael Jordan wore his iconic black and red Air Jordan 13s during Game 2 of his final NBA championship, resulting in a Bulls victory. Now, these sneakers are going up for sale and are expected to break auction records.
Sotheby’s in New York will be auctioning off these game-winning sneakers next month, with an estimated value of up to $4 million. The bidding will take place online from April 3 to 11. The current auction record was set in 2021 with a pair of Nike Air Ships worn by Jordan in his early career, selling for $1.47 million and becoming the first pair of sneakers to break the $1 million mark.
Last year, Jordan’s Game 1 jersey from the 1998 finals became the most expensive piece of worn sports memorabilia ever sold at auction, fetching $10.1 million at a Sotheby’s sale.
Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls is often referred to as “The Last Dance,” named after the ESPN and Netflix documentary that chronicled the season. Jordan announced his second retirement just weeks before the finals, leading to the highly-watched six-game series against the Utah Jazz, which became the most-watched series in NBA history according to Nielsen TV ratings. (Jordan would later return to play for the Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2003, but did not win another championship).
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectables, stated in a press release before the sale, “Michael Jordan’s game-worn sports memorabilia has consistently proven to be the most elite and sought-after items in the market. However, items from his ‘Last Dance’ season hold an even greater significance, as seen with our record-breaking sale of his Game 1 jersey in 2022.”
The sneakers being auctioned off were worn by Jordan during Game 2 in Salt Lake City, where the Bulls won 93-88 after losing Game 1. Jordan scored 37 points during that game. These sneakers represent the last pair of black and red Air Jordan 13 designs that Jordan ever wore on the court for an NBA game, according to a press release from Sotheby’s.
The Air Jordan 13 sneakers are part of a two-part sports memorabilia sale called “Victoriam,” featuring items worn by athletes such as Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, and Roger Federer. The sale also includes a Chicago Bulls Varsity Jacket signed by the 2022-2023 team. This jacket is a collaboration between the Bulls and Off-White, which was founded by the late Virgil Abloh.
Other notable items in the auction include one of Kobe Bryant’s LA Lakers shooting shirts, which sold for over $406,000, and a soccer jersey worn by the late Pelé during his debut for the New York Cosmos in 1975, which fetched over $177,000.
Top image: The Air Jordan 13 sneakers signed by Michael Jordan.
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