The Air Jordan 13s, which Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, sold for the highest publicly recorded price for a pair of sneakers Tuesday, according to CBS News.
The sneakers worn by Michael Jordan in the 1998 finals — or as fans put it, his “Last Dance” with the Chicago Bulls — have fetched for a record $2.2 million at auction, according to reports.
The signed sneakers went to auction by Sotheby's and had been estimated to fetch $2m to $4m. They are now among the most expensive Jordan items auctioned, according to BBC.
A jersey he wore at the 1998 NBA Finals sold in 2022 for $10.1 million, according to BBC.
The Air Jordan 13s, which Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, sold for the highest publicly recorded price for a pair of sneakers Tuesday, according to CBS News.
"The historic sneakers were worn during the most recognizable season of Jordan's storied career, which helped secure his legacy as the greatest basketball player of all time," Sotheby's said in a statement.
The Air Jordan 13s, which fans have also been known to call the “Bred Air Jordans” as a shorthand for the black and red color scheme, were released in May 1998 during the Bulls’ post-season run.
The sneakers were among the final public releases of the Air Jordan brand during his career with the Bulls, according to Sothebys.
The auction of the sneakers arrives during "Jordan Year" — a reference to the player's iconic jersey number 23.
In January, Air Jordan partnered with Sotheby's to auction off 13 pairs of retro sneakers that were designed in memory of The Notorious B.I.G. All lots outsold their high estimates of $5,000, with the highest selling for more than $32,000, according to CNN.
A film about Jordan’s sneaker deal with Nike has recently hit theaters. “Air,” directed by Ben Affleck, stars Viola Davis as Jordan’s mom and Matt Damon as the man who signs the player to Nike, and gives an inside look about the sneaker that would eventually change the game and sales forever.
In the acclaimed 2020 docuseries, “The Last Dance,” which chronicled Jordan’s illustrious career with the Bulls, one episode dove into how his sneakers became the most desirable item anyone could own once they hit the street.
“For a kid, it was like having a lightsaber from ‘Star Wars,’” rapper Nas says in “The Last Dance.”
Jordan became the talk of the NBA his rookie season and his signature red-and-black Jordan 1 was the hottest sneaker on the market.
“My game is my biggest endorsement,” Jordan said in “The Last Dance,” explaining how he was able to capitalize on his sneaker brand.
“Because he did that it showed his initiative to be the best and he knew he was going to be the best,” YouTuber, designer and sneaker enthusiast Seth Fowler told Inside Edition Digital in 2020. “You have a company like Nike backing you, it shows legitimacy. It worked out for him and Nike.”
Jordan’s sneakers didn’t just become the talk of the mid-80s, as he grew in fame and popularity, so did his brand.
Each season, Nike and Jordan would release a different sneaker, but in limited quantities. The smaller the supply, the higher the demand.
“With the limitations on the shoe, it is like they knew 100 people want them but they only make 50,” Tron said. “Michael Jordan set the bar for sneakerheads. The shoes came out one time and never came out again."
“It is like buying a collector's item in the high end market,” Fowler added. “When they first came out it, everyone wanted to fly like Mike and ‘Be like Mike.’”
