Michael Jordan’s sneakers sold at auction for $ 1.47 million

A pair of sneakers worn by US basketball star Michael Jordan sold for a record $ 1.47 million at auction.

Jordan used the pair of red and white Nike Air Ships during his first season with the Chicago Bulls in 1984.

That was the year he and Nike began their collaboration to create his own clothing and shoe brand.

The price is the highest ever paid for footwear worn by the game of any sport.

Jordan is seen by many as the best player in basketball history.

The shooting guard, who has spent much of his career with the Chicago Bulls, has become a global icon and helped raise the NBA’s profile around the world.

Jordan, who retired in 2003, also became the first billionaire player in NBA history.

“This record-breaking result for the Jordan Nike Air Ships affirms the place of Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan franchise at the top of the sneaker market,” said Sotheby’s Brahm Wachter after Sunday’s auction in Las Vegas.

The designer sneakers were bought by Nick Fiorella, a well-known collector.

Before the auction, they were estimated to sell for between $ 1 million and $ 1.5 million.

However, they are not the most expensive sneakers ever sold. That record belongs to rapper Kanye West, whose Nike Air Yeezy 1 prototypes earned $ 1.8 million via a private sale in April.

The record price for sneakers has been beaten several times in recent years and the market now attracts the interest of general buyers and prominent collectors.