Sotheby’s to Auction Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 2 Air Jordan 13s
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Sotheby’s is bringing its latest coveted sports memorabilia item to the auction market.
The auction house said Tuesday it will be auctioning Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 2 Air Jordan 13s from his “The Last Dance” season. The sneakers are expected to sell for between $2 million and $4 million, which would break the current auction record for a pair of sneakers, making them the most valuable sneakers to appear at auction.
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The sneakers will be auctioned during a two-part Sotheby’s sports memorabilia sale taking place from April 3 to 11.
“Michael Jordan game-worn sports memorabilia have proven time and time again to be the most elite and coveted items on the market,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles. “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. Worn in his final year with the Bulls, the iconic Air Jordans coming to auction this April will be sure to excite the collector community and sports fans in this most important Jordan Year.”
The Air Jordan 13s, known as “bred” as a shorthand synonym for “black and red,” is a style the NBA athlete wore since the beginning of the Jordan brand and throughout his basketball career. According to Sotheby’s, Jordan’s first pair of the sneakers was banned by the NBA because the colors violated the league’s uniform code. The NBA would reportedly fine Jordan $5,000 per game when he wore the sneakers.
The shoes will be auctioned in conjunction with the release of the new film “Air,” which tells the story of Jordan’s partnership with Nike and the inception of the Jordan brand.
This is Sotheby’s latest of Jordan’s sports memorabilia it’s bringing to auction. In September, the auction house sold Jordan’s game-worn 1998 NBA Final jersey, which broke records and sold for $10.1 million, making it the most valuable basketball jersey ever sold at auction.
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