At the height of the pandemic in 2020, the basketball ecosystem sat with their eyes glued to television screens every Sunday for nine weeks straight as ESPN aired Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance” documentary. Culminating the 1998 season with his sixth NBA Championship and Finals MVP, a game-worn pair of the Air Jordan 13 “Bred” from the second half of Game 2 of the ’98 Finals recently became the highest auctioned shoe ever sold, having been bought at a whopping $2.2 million.
As the story goes, a Utah Jazz ballboy had previously recovered Jordan’s lost jacket at a practice in Salt Lake City. When it was returned to the GOAT, the ballboy asked for a pair of game-worn shoes in return. Following his 37-point performance to tie the series at one apiece, Jordan gifted and autographed the toe box of the jet-black tumbled pair with bright silver Sharpie. While in-game creases line the vibrant red nubuck overlays and dimpled sidewalls, the “He Got Game” synonymous silhouette remains in pristine condition having been authenticated by NBA affiliate the MeiGray Group.
Surpassing the Nike Air Yeezy “Prototype” for the most expensive auction purchased from Sotheby’s, the nostalgia of the ’98 postseason and the finality that surrounded the Bulls roster is packed into the two-toned ensemble constructed over 25 years ago. For an official look at the Air Jordan 13 “Bred” that was recently auctioned off, enjoy up-close detailed imagery of the pair below.
For more from underneath the Jumpman banner, check out the upcoming Jordan Tatum 1 “Old School” that draws upon features from the Air Jordan 12.
