Michael Jordan's first-ever Air Jordan fetch $560,000 at the auction
The sneakers worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan fetched $560,000 in an online auction, said the auction house, Sotheby's. The autographed Air Jordan 1s, designed for the player's rookie NBA season in 1985, were sold by collector Jordan Geller, also the founder of the sneaker museum Shoezeum. Notably, the price of these sneakers eclipsed the value of 1972 Nike running shoes, "Moon Shoe" ($437,500).
"I think the game-worn Air Jordan 1s are the most iconic sneakers of all time. They are so recognizable and they conjure up so much nostalgia, which I think gives them a very special appeal," said Jordan Geller, the original owner of the shoes.
Reportedly, the auction was held to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Air Jordan brand, amid the screening of 'The Last Dance'. The ten-part ESPN documentary features the journey of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Interestingly, NBA Entertainment followed them throughout the 1997-98 season to document their final championship. The final two episodes aired on Sunday.
Geller described how the pair of sneakers will be treasured in his memories. "I have owned the pair since 2012, and I truly cherish them. I never thought about selling them until the ESPN Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls documentary, 'The Last Dance' started airing," said Geller. He added, "Ever since, there has been a surge of interest in Michael Jordan memorabilia."
Michael Jordan's 'Air Jordan 1s' had an estimate value between $100,000 and $150,000 ahead of the auction. The model was specially designed by Nike for the basketball superstar, who wore them during his rookie season in the NBA.
The legendary Michael Jordan holds plenty of unparalleled records in the game. Jordan finished his career with a splendid scoring average of 30.14 points per game. This is still the highest scoring average in NBA history. He became the oldest player (40) to score 40 points in a game in February 2003. Jordan won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award five times.
