The shoes worn by NBA legend Michael Jordan in the 1998 NBA Finals have sold for $2.2 million, the most expensive pair of game-worn shoes ever purchased at auction, Sotheby’s announced on April 11.

The item sold this time was the Air Jordan 13 “Bred” that Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 Finals, when he won his sixth and final NBA championship.

The winning bid was the highest ever, surpassing the previous record of $1.5 million (approximately 170 million yen at the time) set for Jordan’s own shoes in September 2021. The highest price ever paid for game-worn items, including items other than shoes, was also Jordan’s uniform, which sold for $10.1 million (approximately 1.4 billion yen at the time) last year.

Jordan wore the shoes in the second half of Game 2 against the Utah Jazz on June 5, 1998, and scored a game-high 37 points to lead his team to a 93-88 victory and bring the Chicago Bulls back to within one win of the series.

Sotheby’s said the shoes were autographed by Jordan and given to a ball boy after a game. Sotheby’s did not disclose the identity of the seller, but said he was not the original recipient. The successful bidder’s name was also not disclosed.

This month, the film “Air,” which focuses on Jordan’s relationship with American sportswear giant Nike, was released. (c)AFP