Michael Jordan's First Pair Of Nike Rookie Sneakers To Sell For $1 Million At Auction
The first pair of Nike sneakers ever worn by Michael Jordan in his NBA rookie season are expected to sell for $1 million or more at an auction held by Sotheby’s streetwear and modern collectibles on Friday, CNBC reports.
Michael Jordan’s items are perhaps the most coveted: "We put up a lot of other valuable memorabilia items, but I would say on a kind of ongoing and continuous basis Michael Jordan’s market is really strong,” said Brahm Wachter, head of Sotheby’s streetwear and modern collectibles.
The sneakers were worn by Jordan on Nov. 1, 1984, in his fifth NBA game in Denver against the Nuggets. After the game, Jordan gave the sneakers to Tommy Tim III Lewis, who was a ball boy for the Nuggets at the time.
According to Wachter, the shoes were one of the most important pairs to come on the market because they were the earliest known regular-season game shoes Jordan wore in the NBA. “Collectors really covet things that are early,” Wachter added.
The sneakers were originally banned from gameplay because they violated the NBA’s uniform regulations. Nike responded with a giant ad campaign around them saying the NBA threw them out of the game, but "fortunately, the NBA can’t stop you from wearing them.”
Jordan went on to not only become the greatest NBA player of all time with six NBA titles, but he also became the world's top sneaker salesman. After signing with Nike out of college, Jordan went on to release still-popular brands like Nike Air Ships, Air Force Ones and Air Jordans.
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