Michael Jordan has been the face of Nike since his rookie season with the Bulls in 1984.
But the basketball legend didn’t always wear the Swoosh.
During his college days at North Carolina, Jordan and his Tar Heels teammates wore Converse. They must have been a good fit, because the Heels captured the 1982 NCAA championship, with Jordan famously hitting the winning shot in the title game against Georgetown.
Now, you can own a piece of that championship season.
A pair of Converse sneakers worn by Jordan during his 1981–82 freshman season at UNC is up for bids at Heritage Auctions. The current owner, former Tar Heels team manager Chuck Duckett, has pledged to donate half the proceeds to the UNC basketball program. With that in mind, Jordan recently added his autograph to each of the shoes. Presumably, Jordan continued to use the shoes after the season, as there is visible outdoor wear on the sneakers.
Heritage estimates the sneakers could fetch upward of $100,000, and the top bid as of Wednesday morning was $45,000. Bidding closes this weekend.
Heritage Auctions
