Michael Jordan's Game 2 sneakers worn during the Bulls' 1998 playoff run, commonly referred to as "The Last Dance," just became the latest record-breaking sale of memorabilia by His Airness. The shoes sold for $2.24 million on Tuesday, according to Sotheby's who oversaw the auction.
The auction garnered attention last week when a bidder submitted a $1.8 million offer, tying Kanye West's Nike Air Yeezy prototypes worn at the 2008 Grammys for the most expensive sneaker sale of all time. Last week, CNBC estimated that the shoes could hail up to $4 million.
While the final sale fell short of that number, the record was comfortably left in the dust come Tuesday.
Jordan wore the black and white Air Jordan 13s in Game 2 on the road against the Utah Jazz. He scored 37 points to lead the Bulls to a 93-88 win and even up the series at 1-1. Following the win, he reportedly signed the shoes in silver marker before gifting them to a Utah Jazz ball boy.
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Chicago went on to win the series in six games, securing the franchise's third consecutive title and sixth overall -- all won during Jordan's tenure.
Tuesday's transaction builds on a recent series of million-dollar sales made involving Jordan products.
In 2021, Sotheby's oversaw the $1.47 million sale of Air Ships, Jordan's first shoes worn in the NBA. This past September, the auction house managed the $10.1 million sale of the jersey worn in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Jazz, a record for game-worn jerseys.
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“Today’s record-breaking result further proves that the demand for Michael Jordan sports memorabilia continues to outperform and transcend all expectations,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles.
