One of Michael Jordan’s most memorable dunks came 35 years ago this summer, when the basketball legend famously shattered a backboard.
Now, the shoes that graced his feet that day – complete with broken glass still stuck in one of the souls – could be yours. That is, if you have a cool $650,000-$850,000 lying around.
Christie’s auction house is offering the coveted shoes – a Chicago-branded pair of autographed Nike Air Jordan’s– as part of a catalogue of 11 pairs of valuable game-won Jordan shoes.
Jordan was wearing the pricy shoes on August 25, 1985 during a Nike-sponsored exhibition game in Italy that saw glass shatter everywhere after the incredible dunk. The game united Italian Liga A teams Stefanel Trieste and Snaidero Caserta with special guest Jordan, who actually played for both teams before the night was over.
They come complete with a letter of authenticity that outlines the backstory of the shoes, as well as never-before-seen scans of original photographs from the game.
Both shoes were signed by Jordan with a black pen on the inner collar.
The shoes were sourced from Gianni Bertolitti, the captain of the Stefanel team, who received them from Jordan after the unforgettable game.
Since Netflix’s hit The Last Dance documentary aired in the height of lockdown, Jordan has been cast back in the spotlight, with a subsequent explosion of growth and popularity in items worn, signed, or endorsed by the basketball star.
Meanwhile, 21st century editions of the “Shattered Backboard” shoes remain among the most popular Nike designs in the sneaker collector world.
