GOAT Michael Jordan’s game-worn and autographed sneakers have created a new record by going under the hammer for an eye-watering $2.2 million at Sotheby’s auction. The icons jersey from the iconic 1998 NBA Finals fetched $10 million last year, reiterating the popularity of the sports legend and his famed Last Dance Documentary. ‘Michael Jordan game-worn sports memorabilia has repeatedly proven to be the most elite and coveted items on the market,’ Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectables Brahm Wachter said when the item was placed on sale. ‘However, items from his Last Dance season are of a greater scale and magnitude as seen with our record-breaking sale of his Game 1 jersey in 2022.’
Sotheby’s highlighted that the sneakers were the last pair of Air Jordan XIII Breds Michael would lace up in an NBA game. He sported them in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals, creating history with 37 points scored over the Utah Jazz. “Today’s record-breaking result further proves that the demand for Michael Jordan sports memorabilia continues to outperform and transcend all expectations,” Brahm Wachter, said in a statement.
The finals jersey sported by the sports superstar is also considered a holy grail for sports fans. “The 1997–1998 season is perhaps one of the most popular among Jordan fans, as Michael was reaching the height of his abilities while simultaneously pursuing what he understood would be his last chance at an NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls,” stated Wachter. He continued, “The season itself is his ‘magnum opus’ as an athlete and a testament to him as a champion and competitor. Finals jerseys from Jordan are remarkably scant, and the 1997–1998 Finals are arguably the most coveted of them all.”
