UNC Basketball: Coveted pair of Air Jordans sell for outrageous amount

A coveted pair of Air Jordans sold for a record-breaking amount at a recent auction, proving that the market for the UNC basketball legend’s memorabilia is still hot.

A pair of shoes worn by Michael Jordan nearly four decades ago sold for a record-breaking $1.47 million on Sunday.

Worn in the fifth game of his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls back in 1984, the red and white Nike Air Ships sneakers were purchased by collector Nick Fiorella, setting a new world record as the highest-priced shoes ever sold at an auction, according to Sotheby’s auction house. Not only that, but they became the first pair of footwear to ever reach the $1 million mark.

Brahm Wachter, head of Sotheby’s streetwear and modern collectables division, said that the “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.” And he’s absolutely right. Since signing his first shoe deal with the company 37 years ago, the sales and marketability of no other individual in any sport has matched that of Jordan, even in the years following his retirement from basketball.

Now, Jordan’s very own segment of the business — Jordan Brand — makes up for a massive portion of the shoe and apparel juggernaut’s overall revenue. In fact, the brand which carries the name of the universally recognizable sports and pop culture icon, helped Nike nearly double its fourth quarter sales from a year ago. For the fiscal year ending May 31, Jordan Brand sales were up 31 percent to $4.7 billion, that according to Yahoo Finance.

It all just goes to show that anything with the Air Jordan moniker, a Jumpman logo or a signature from the man himself, is still as hot as ever on the sports memorabilia and collectibles market.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Michael Jordan, and UNC basketball alumni everywhere.