A pair of Michael Jordan’s trainers have been sold for a record $1.47m (£1.1m) at auction.
Gatekeepers News reports that a pair of red and white Nike Air Ships worn by US basketball star Michael Jordan during his first season with the Chicago Bulls in 1984 has been sold for $1.47m (£1.1m) at auction.
Jordan began his collaboration with Nike that year. The collaboration includes the creation of his signature brand of clothes and shoes.
The price is the highest ever paid for game-worn footwear from any sport.
The shooting guard who retired in 2003, became the first billionaire player in NBA history and is seen by many as the best player in the history of basketball.
Jordan spent most of his career with the Chicago Bulls where he became a global icon and helped raise the NBA’s profile around the world.
After Sunday’s auction in Las Vegas, Sotheby’s Brahm Wachter said, “This record-breaking result for the Jordan Nike Air Ships affirms the place of Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan franchise at the pinnacle of the sneaker market.”
The signed trainers were bought by a well-known collector – Nick Fiorella.
It was earlier estimated to be sold between $1m and $1.5m before the auction.
However, Kanye West, whose Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototypes fetched $1.8m via a private sale in April to become the most expensive trainers ever sold.
