Michael Jordan’s Championship Sneakers Sell for Record $8 Million at Auction

In a transaction that further cements NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan’s standing atop the world of sports memorabilia, Sotheby’s New York sold six Air Jordan sneakers earlier Friday for the whopping total of US$8 million.

Dubbed the Dynasty Collection, the set of six shoes were sold to an anonymous buyer who was in the room during the bidding, according to the auction house. Sotheby’s had publicised the sale with a far-reaching tour, displaying the sneakers around the world while estimating that the set would sell for between US$7 million and US$10 million.

“To have something from one of Jordan’s championship clinching games is a goal for every collector of sports artifacts. To have something from all six is unheard of,” says Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables. “We are thrilled with the result which is a testament to the greatest to ever play the game.”

The Dynasty Collection earned headlining status for the second edition of Sotheby’s “The One,” a cross-category sale that features an eclectic range of notable objects representing human achievement and excellence.

Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls shoots the winning jump shot with 5.2 seconds left during game six of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City in June, 1998. The Bulls won 87-86 for their sixth NBA championship.
AFP via Getty Images

As the hammer fell, the final price tag set a new global benchmark for game-worn sneakers while becoming the second-highest price achieved for any Jordan memorabilia, just behind Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey from the famed “Last Dance” season, which achieved US$10.1 million at Sotheby’s in September 2022 and still holds the world record for any game-worn sports memorabilia.

The auctioneer also holds the record for any pair of sneakers, with Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 2 Air Jordan 13s having earned $2.2 million in April 2023.

Jordan, who turns 61 on Feb. 17, famously handed off one of his size-13 and 13.5 shoes—an Air Jordan VI (1991), Air Jordan VII (1992), Air Jordan VIII (1993), Air Jordan XI (1996), Air Jordan XII (1997), and Air Jordan XIV (1998)—after each championship-deciding victory to Bulls PR exec Tim Hallam.

The sneakers were later obtained from Hallam by a private American collector, who ultimately enlisted Sotheby’s for the sale. Initially announced nearly a year ago, the collection has captured the attention of sports fans and hobbyists alike.

“Today’s record-breaking price is a testament to the GOAT. The Dynasty Collection undeniably ranks among the most significant compilations of sports memorabilia in history,” Wachter said in a statement announcing the result.

“Serving as both a reminder of Michael Jordan’s lasting impact on the world and a tangible expression of his recognised legendary status, its significance is further validated by this monumental result.

One other piece of Jordan memorabilia was included in the auction: the signed official scorekeeper’s sheet from the highest-scoring game of his career—a 69-point effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28, 1990. It sold for US$50,800.

U.K.-listed Intermediate Capital Group plans to sell one of Singapore’s largest independent tertiary education institutions, which could be valued at as much as 700 million Singapore dollars, equivalent to US$526 million, people familiar with the situation said.

The alternative asset management company, which acquired PSB Academy in 2018, is working with corporate advisory firm Rippledot Capital Advisers to explore options, the people said.

ICG and Rippledot declined to comment.

The U.K.-based company, which has $107.0 billion in assets under management as of the end of 2024, acquired PSB Academy from Baring Private Equity Asia for an undisclosed price.

Set up in 1964, PSB Academy currently hosts over 20,000 students each year and offers certification, diploma and degree courses. It has operations across Asia, including Indonesia, China and Sri Lanka.

The Asian education sector has become increasingly attractive to private-equity firms and strategic investors due to rapid urbanization and a fast-growing middle class that can now afford higher education for their children.

In 2021, private-equity firm KKR invested in EQuest Education Group, Vietnam’s largest private education institution. A year before, China Maple Leaf Educational Systems paid S$730.0 million to buy Canadian International School in Singapore.