When we talk of basketball, America’s most famous athlete, Michael Jordan, comes to mind. Despite his retirement, the 60-year-old great is still creating headlines and smashing records. Jordan has earned enormous riches and a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars, thanks to his famous on-court career and memorabilia.
Jordan’s collection items are worth millions of dollars because he is a legend. Most recently, MJ’s game-worn Air Jordan 13s from Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals set a new world record for the most expensive sneakers ever sold at a Sotheby’s auction for a stunning $2.2 million (£1.7 million).
Jordan famously wore the signature Air Jordan 13s during the second game of the NBA finals in 1998, during his final season with the Chicago Bulls. Because of MJ’s basketball skill, the season is frequently referred to as “The Last Dance.”
Sotheby’s streetwear and modern collectibles head Brahm Wachter remarked, “Today’s record-breaking result further proves that demand for Michael Jordan’s sports memorabilia continues to outperform and transcend all expectations.”
Surprisingly, this is not the first piece of memorabilia from the Chicago Bulls’ “Last Dance” season making news for its exorbitant costs. Last September, MJ’s jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $10.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction, and his match-worn jersey from the same season sold for £8.1 million in 2022.
Nike’s Air Jordans were first established in 1984 when the basketball legend’s agent, David Falk, set up a meeting between the NBA legend and Nike. The shoes were initially banned because they violated NBA rules requiring trainers to be white with some colours from the team’s uniform. MJ was fined $5,000 for each game he wore the shoe, but Nike paid the punishment, propelling the company to new heights.
According to Forbes, Jordan has a net worth of £1.75 billion, which he gets from corporate partners such as Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade. MJ is also a special advisor for the sports betting company DraftKings.
