Michael Jordan’s Championship Air Jordans, Sneakerdom’s Most Elite Collection, Head to Sotheby’s Sale

“Because of the historical and cultural impact that they represent, as a group they are among the most important basketball shoes a collector could own,” said Leila Dunbar, an experienced memorabilia appraiser and consultant.

“They have everything that collectors want: championship history, Hall of Famer association—and style, style, style,” she said.

The high-top Nikes, showing clear signs of hardwood wear, were collected by Tim Hallam, Sotheby’s said. A communications director for the Chicago Bulls, Mr. Hallam received the individual shoes directly from Mr. Jordan after the final buzzer in the Hall of Famer’s championship games, according to Sotheby’s. There are many humorous photos of Mr. Jordan hobbling around the locker room with only one shoe on after these games. (Mr. Hallam did not respond to an inquiry as to whether he paid Mr. Jordan for the shoes.)

Mr. Hallam, who no longer owns the shoes, but who does still work for the Bulls franchise, declined to speak about their resale. “I really don’t have much to say other than I’m happy that the shoes are being seen by so many people,” he said. The set had previously been on display, though not for sale, in July 2022.

Six distinct Air Jordan models, all designed by famed Nike sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield, comprise the collection, beginning with 1991’s black-and-red Air Jordan VI and ending with the sleek Air Jordan XIV from 1998. (Mr. Jordan signed with Nike in 1984 and continues to work with the sportswear behemoth today.)

The shoes have some compelling quirks that will raise collectors’ eyebrows—and, Sotheby’s hopes, their offers. The Air Jordan VIII from 1993 is signed “‘Our’ LAST F—ing Game” and has the final score of the Bulls’ win against the Suns written along the toe.

The Air Jordan XII from 1997—a final where Mr. Jordan notched 39 points—is autographed big and bold along its white panel, while the Jordan VI from 1991 is crackled and yellowed, reflecting its advanced age.

When explaining his incipient collection to sports columnist Bryan Bloodworth in 1997, Mr. Hallam said, “I don’t play; I don’t score; I don’t rebound, so the [championship] rings don’t mean quite as much to me as they do the players…I wanted something that was an actual part of the game, so I asked Michael for one of his shoes.”

At some point, Mr. Hallam sold the sextet of sneakers to the buyer who is now selling them. Neither Sotheby’s nor Mr. Hallam disclosed who the mystery seller is, how much they originally paid or when the shoes were purchased.

The owner may profit enormously. “I would think at least $20 million…maybe $100 million” for the collection’s potential sale price, said Jordan Geller, a collector who at one point held the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest sneaker collection. “It’s as rare as rare gets.”

Driving up this potentially eye-watering sum is a broader sports-memorabilia marketplace that has exploded in recent years. During the pandemic, Mr. Geller noted, many people “were turning to different unconventional ways to place and invest their money”—in some cases, spending surplus cash on collectibles.

But the marketplace has also been infected by a more specific Jordan-fueled mania, which experts tie back to the serialized 2020 documentary “The Last Dance.” The documentary covers Mr. Jordan’s final season with the Bulls (a pair of shoes from that final season’s game is included in this sale) and reignited a nostalgia-steeped frenzy for all things MJ.

Jordan-worn items in particular have leapt in value on the auction market. In 2021, Sotheby’s sold a pair of Nikes from his rookie year for $1.472 million, shattering a previous record for Jordan’s sneakers set just a year before. Also in 2021, a jersey from his days at the University of North Carolina fetched $1.38 million at Heritage Auctions in New York. The next year, Sotheby’s sold a Jordan-worn jersey from the opening game of the 1998 NBA finals for $10.1 million dollars.

“‘The Last Dance’ was really a game-changing thing,” said Brahm Wachter, head of streetwear and collectibles at Sotheby’s. “Once that happened, we saw the market for sneakers change.”

Not coincidentally, these six Air Jordans are being offered for sale in 2023, which fans have dubbed “the Jordan year” in reference to his jersey number. The start of the sale also comes just before the release of “Air,” the Ben Affleck-directed movie about Nike securing Mr. Jordan’s endorsement—a movie sure to stoke even more sneaker mania.

According to Mr. Wachter, Sotheby’s believes the six sneakers “might demand a higher price” than the $10.1 million jersey sale.

The surge of sneakers and jerseys arriving at high-end auction houses reflects how the resale world has tipped younger in recent years, moving the client base of auction houses beyond tweed-wearing collectors raising paddles for Rembrandts. Now Sotheby’s, Christie’s and others offer Nike sneakers and Supreme skateboards at nearly the price of a Picasso sketch. Sneakers “have reached the level of art,” said Ms. Dunbar, “They have become items in portfolios as well as cherished keepsakes.” The current sneaker record-holder is a Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototype model, which sold in 2021 for $1.8 million.

The Dubai premiere also reflects Sotheby’s broader plans to reach markets beyond its Upper East Side New York headquarters. “It’s certainly possible” the buyer could be a Dubai local, said Mr. Wachter, noting that Sotheby’s is also sending the sneakers on tour in Hong Kong and Singapore. If a buyer purchases the sneakers early on their world tour, say in Dubai, it will be at that buyer’s discretion if the shoes should continue to be displayed.

The buyer though, is likely not to be your standard Dunk-head. In the words of Mr. Geller, “the average sneakerhead doesn’t have $20 to a $100 million” to splash around. To get the Mona Lisa of sneakers, you need Mona Lisa money.

Write to Jacob Gallagher at [email protected]

“Because of the historical and cultural impact that they represent, as a group they are among the most important basketball shoes a collector could own,” said Leila Dunbar, an experienced memorabilia appraiser and consultant.

“They have everything that collectors want: championship history, Hall of Famer association—and style, style, style,” she said.

The high-top Nikes, showing clear signs of hardwood wear, were collected by Tim Hallam, Sotheby’s said. A communications director for the Chicago Bulls, Mr. Hallam received the individual shoes directly from Mr. Jordan after the final buzzer in the Hall of Famer’s championship games, according to Sotheby’s. There are many humorous photos of Mr. Jordan hobbling around the locker room with only one shoe on after these games. (Mr. Hallam did not respond to an inquiry as to whether he paid Mr. Jordan for the shoes.)

Mr. Hallam, who no longer owns the shoes, but who does still work for the Bulls franchise, declined to speak about their resale. “I really don’t have much to say other than I’m happy that the shoes are being seen by so many people,” he said. The set had previously been on display, though not for sale, in July 2022.

Six distinct Air Jordan models, all designed by famed Nike sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield, comprise the collection, beginning with 1991’s black-and-red Air Jordan VI and ending with the sleek Air Jordan XIV from 1998. (Mr. Jordan signed with Nike in 1984 and continues to work with the sportswear behemoth today.)

The shoes have some compelling quirks that will raise collectors’ eyebrows—and, Sotheby’s hopes, their offers. The Air Jordan VIII from 1993 is signed “‘Our’ LAST F—ing Game” and has the final score of the Bulls’ win against the Suns written along the toe.

The Air Jordan XII from 1997—a final where Mr. Jordan notched 39 points—is autographed big and bold along its white panel, while the Jordan VI from 1991 is crackled and yellowed, reflecting its advanced age.

When explaining his incipient collection to sports columnist Bryan Bloodworth in 1997, Mr. Hallam said, “I don’t play; I don’t score; I don’t rebound, so the [championship] rings don’t mean quite as much to me as they do the players…I wanted something that was an actual part of the game, so I asked Michael for one of his shoes.”

At some point, Mr. Hallam sold the sextet of sneakers to the buyer who is now selling them. Neither Sotheby’s nor Mr. Hallam disclosed who the mystery seller is, how much they originally paid or when the shoes were purchased.

The owner may profit enormously. “I would think at least $20 million…maybe $100 million” for the collection’s potential sale price, said Jordan Geller, a collector who at one point held the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest sneaker collection. “It’s as rare as rare gets.”

Driving up this potentially eye-watering sum is a broader sports-memorabilia marketplace that has exploded in recent years. During the pandemic, Mr. Geller noted, many people “were turning to different unconventional ways to place and invest their money”—in some cases, spending surplus cash on collectibles.

But the marketplace has also been infected by a more specific Jordan-fueled mania, which experts tie back to the serialized 2020 documentary “The Last Dance.” The documentary covers Mr. Jordan’s final season with the Bulls (a pair of shoes from that final season’s game is included in this sale) and reignited a nostalgia-steeped frenzy for all things MJ.

Jordan-worn items in particular have leapt in value on the auction market. In 2021, Sotheby’s sold a pair of Nikes from his rookie year for $1.472 million, shattering a previous record for Jordan’s sneakers set just a year before. Also in 2021, a jersey from his days at the University of North Carolina fetched $1.38 million at Heritage Auctions in New York. The next year, Sotheby’s sold a Jordan-worn jersey from the opening game of the 1998 NBA finals for $10.1 million dollars.

“‘The Last Dance’ was really a game-changing thing,” said Brahm Wachter, head of streetwear and collectibles at Sotheby’s. “Once that happened, we saw the market for sneakers change.”

Not coincidentally, these six Air Jordans are being offered for sale in 2023, which fans have dubbed “the Jordan year” in reference to his jersey number. The start of the sale also comes just before the release of “Air,” the Ben Affleck-directed movie about Nike securing Mr. Jordan’s endorsement—a movie sure to stoke even more sneaker mania.

According to Mr. Wachter, Sotheby’s believes the six sneakers “might demand a higher price” than the $10.1 million jersey sale.

The surge of sneakers and jerseys arriving at high-end auction houses reflects how the resale world has tipped younger in recent years, moving the client base of auction houses beyond tweed-wearing collectors raising paddles for Rembrandts. Now Sotheby’s, Christie’s and others offer Nike sneakers and Supreme skateboards at nearly the price of a Picasso sketch. Sneakers “have reached the level of art,” said Ms. Dunbar, “They have become items in portfolios as well as cherished keepsakes.” The current sneaker record-holder is a Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototype model, which sold in 2021 for $1.8 million.

The Dubai premiere also reflects Sotheby’s broader plans to reach markets beyond its Upper East Side New York headquarters. “It’s certainly possible” the buyer could be a Dubai local, said Mr. Wachter, noting that Sotheby’s is also sending the sneakers on tour in Hong Kong and Singapore. If a buyer purchases the sneakers early on their world tour, say in Dubai, it will be at that buyer’s discretion if the shoes should continue to be displayed.

The buyer though, is likely not to be your standard Dunk-head. In the words of Mr. Geller, “the average sneakerhead doesn’t have $20 to a $100 million” to splash around. To get the Mona Lisa of sneakers, you need Mona Lisa money.

Write to Jacob Gallagher at [email protected]