Michael Jordan’s Last Dance sneakers sell for $2.2 million
Published on Apr 04, 2023 at 11:15 AM (UTC+4)
by Kate Bain
Last updated on Apr 12, 2023 at 3:38 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Michael Jordan’s Last Dance sneakers just broke the record for the most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold at auction.
When the Sotheby’s auction opened, it quickly got a bid of USD $1.8 million – already surpassing the $1.47 million price record held by a pair of sneakers.
When the gavel fell, the winning bid was $2.2 million, far below the original pre-auction estimate of $4 million but obviously still enough to set the record.
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Michael Jordan wore the Air Jordan XIIIs for his last championship season with the Chicago Bulls in 1997-1998.
The sneakers are actually known as the Bred Air Jordans – short for ‘black and red’ for the iconic Chicago Bulls colorway.
On 5 June 1998, Jordan wore the shoes when the Chicago Bulls played Utah Jazz.
Jordan registered a game-high 37 points over 40 minutes in a Bulls 93-88 victory over the Jazz.
Following the game, Jordan gave his shoes to a ball boy, according to Sotheby’s.
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The gift was a thank you, as the ball boy had found Jordan’s lost jacket and given it back to him earlier that week.
After returning the jacket, he asked “can I get your kicks after the game?”
So, after the game, Jordan signed each sneaker and handed them over.
The sneakers became the only complete pair worn by Jordan during an NBA Finals game.
The black and red sneakers now each have Jordan’s signature in bold silver marker on the toe box.
And they remain in immaculate condition.
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The sneakers get the name ‘Last Dance’ because that’s what Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls was called.
This is in part because of the ESPN documentary by the same name which covered the Chicago Bulls 1997-1998 season.
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Kate is Lead Editor, overseeing coverage across automotive, tech, and lifestyle content on the site. She has more than 10 years’ experience as a journalist and news editor, having worked across a range of major publications including News Corp, Daily Mail Australia, and Sky News. Kate holds a Bachelor of Business Management from University of Queensland and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from Queensland University of Technology. She has been with Supercar Blondie since 2020 and played a key role in establishing supercarblondie.com as a leading automotive news destination.
