Dizzying figure for shoes that belonged to Michael Jordan. His 1984 Nikes, the Air Ship, were auctioned at Sotheby’s in Las Vegas for $ 1 million 472 thousand (€ 1 million 263 thousand): the highest amount ever paid for a pair of sneakers. The collector Nick Fiorella bought them.
#AuctionUpdate The most valuable sneakers ever offered at auction—Michael Jordan’s regular season game-worn Nike Air Ships from 1984—have just sold at $1,472,000 in our luxury sale in Las Vegas. #SothebysxMGM pic.twitter.com/OlxvZ1ETML
— Sotheby’s (@Sothebys) October 24, 2021
The red and white designer sneakers are those of the basketball star’s fifth NBA game in his rookie season, Sotheby’s explained. Designed by Bruce Kilgore, the Air Ship was the first shoe worn by Michael Jordan in the NBA, and in fact they are the basis from which the famous Air Jordan series was born in 1985 which continues today, arrived at number 36 without losing of charm and popularity, growing after the success of the series “The Last Dance” on Netflix in 2020.
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In May 2020, the Air Jordan 1, worn by Michael Jordan in 1985, had sold for 463,000 euros (615,000 dollars). It was the famous model that at the time was banned by the NBA because it violated the coloring code in force at the time and it is no coincidence that they went down in history as the “Banned”.
While a pair of Nike Air Yeezy, designed and worn by rapper Kanye West who later brought his Yeezy brand to the Adidas he still collaborates with, had sold for 1.8 million dollars in April. In that case, however, it was a private sale.