Largest Collection of Michael Jordan's Game-Worn Sneakers Up for Auction

The collection includes shoes the NBA icon wore his rookie year and at the 1992 Olympics

Michael Jordan. Photo: NBA Photos/NBAE

Basketball fans will soon have the opportunity to own a part of NBA history.

The largest collection of sneakers worn by Michael Jordan during his career playing for the Chicago Bulls is going to auction later this month in a partnership between Christie's and Stadium Goods.

Eleven rare items, including sneakers worn by Jordan, make up the largest collection of footwear memorabilia ever offered at one time, according to a press release.

Browsing will open on July 23, and bidding will begin on July 30, closing on August 13.

A portion of the profits from the highest selling items will be donated to the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund.

"Michael Jordan’s tremendous impact on basketball and sneakers is universally acknowledged, and it can be easy to think there aren’t any new stories to add to the legend," said Stadium Goods' co-founder and CEO John McPheters in a statement.

"But as we’ve seen with The Last Dance and now with our ‘Original Air’ auction with Christie’s, there are still lesser known narratives in the legacy that create great interest," McPheters continued. "The pieces we’ve put together for this auction are truly unique, and will have deep resonance for Jordan fans, sneaker connoisseurs and pop culture collectors alike. Additionally, we are pleased to be able to donate proceeds from one of the sale’s most exciting highlights to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund."

Michael Jordan's Air Ships. Christie's

Included in the collection is a pair of Air Ship Nikes that had been modified exclusively for him, which Jordan wore in his rookie year before he started sporting the iconic Air Jordans.

"Sourced from a New Jersey Nets equipment manager, since Jordan wore the Air Ship only for a brief time early in his rookie season, to find a game-worn pair today is extremely rare," the press release states.

The shoes are expected to sell for between $350,000 and $550,000.

Michael Jordan's Air Jordan 7s worn during 1992 Olympics. Christie's

The collection also includes a pair of Jordan 7s that the athlete wore during the gold-medal game against Croatia at 1992 Olympics, as well as a pair of practice sneakers that Jordan wore in 1998.

"As the leading Luxury auction house, Christie’s is honored to partner with Stadium Goods, the world’s premier marketplace for sneakers and streetwear, for a series of sales beginning this July with 'Original Air,'" said Christie's Global Managing Director of Luxury Aline Sylla-Walbaum in a statement.

Michael Jordan's Air Jordan 14s word for practice in 1998. Christie's

"This highly-curated sale marks Christie’s entry into a new collecting category that merges sports’ history, art, fashion, and contemporary lifestyle following the great success of our Hype sale in December 2019," Sylla-Walbaum said. "In collaboration with Stadium Goods, we hand-selected an offering that represents the most iconic moments of Michael Jordan’s celebrated career and his enduring impact on sport and style."

"We sought to offer only the highest quality pieces in the same way we evaluate items for Christie’s Luxury sales – looking for quality, rarity, and uniqueness of design. Additionally, this sale has offered us the opportunity to partner with the Post-War & Contemporary Art and Photographs teams as we look to the world of sports as inspiration for mediums across art."