Last week, Sotheby’s revealed what might be considered the absolute ultimate prize to sneaker collectors worldwide: a highly-coveted package of six original Nike Air Jordan sneakers formerly owned by Michael ‘His Airness’ Jordan himself, who wore them during his historic championship run with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s.
The world of sneaker collecting can be a pricey hobby, but this particular collection is on another level. It's so precious that even the experts at Sotheby’s won't reveal its value - although it could easily fetch millions! Some liken these shoes to some of history's greatest works: think Mona Lisa and David alongside Claude Monet's famous Water Lilies all rolled into one – making them potentially the most expensive set of sneakers ever sold.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Tim Hallam, a communications director for the Chicago Bulls and friend of MJ once owned these iconic Air Jordans that Michael Jordan wore on the court in the championship games for each of his six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. With clear signs of hardwood wear from those legendary matches still visible to this day - not to mention some hilarious photos of His Airness hobbling around with one shoe after these battles – it's no wonder why Sotheby’s believes archiving such incredible memorabilia is "incredibly rare".
Despite no longer owning the shoes, Mr. Hallam still works for the Bulls franchise and when asked about their resale he only said that he was "happy that the shoes are being seen by so many people.” The shoes had been on display in July 2022 but have not been available to purchase until now.
Michael Jordan, one-shoed, celebrates a 1996 win.
PHOTO: ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES
This Air Jordan collection is one of the most significant to ever hit the auctions, boasting six unique designs by renowned Nike designer Tinker Hatfield. Starting with the black-and-red Air Jordan 6 from 1991 to the legendary Ferrari-inspired “Last Shot” Air Jordan 14 from 1998. Interestingly enough, Hallam was only given one shoe from each pair, which is also documented by the celebratory photos you might have seen in the past.
It remains a mystery who purchased the sextet of sneakers from Mr. Hallam and when they made the acquisition, as neither Sotheby's nor he revealed any details on the initial sale What we do know is that whoever acquired them is likely to set a new record sales price thanks to this Sotheby’s auction.
According to Jordan Gellar, who was recently a guest on the Sneaker History Podcast to discuss the discovery of thousands of vintage deadstock sneakers in a forgotten garage basement, told the Wall Street Journal, “I would think at least $20 million…maybe $100 million. It’s as rare as rare gets.”
If you’re in the market to drop $20-100 million on some new kicks for your Sneaker Throne, get in touch with Sotheby’s Dubai.
