One of the most iconic pieces of NBA memorabilia went up for auction on Wednesday.
The shoes worn by Michael Jordan during the renowned “Flu Game” from Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals were sold for a staggering $1.38 million at Goldin, a collectibles marketplace, per ESPN.
In what was one of the most memorable NBA Finals performances of all-time, Jordan scored 38 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists while logging 44 minutes on the court, despite being severely under the weather, in what is known by basketball fans as the “Flu Game.”
Now, the iconic Jordan 12 shoes have fetched one lucky collector more than $1 million, including the buyer’s premium.
After the game, Jordan gave the shoes to Jazz ball boy Preston Truman, who sold them 15 years later for a price of $104,675 to Grey Flannel Auctions. The shoes sold Wednesday at more than a 1,200% price hike.
“To me, the ‘Flu Game’ is the most iconic game of Michael Jordan‘s career, and that’s what everyone refers to when they talk about toughing it out and rising to the occasion under difficult circumstances,” said Ken Goldin, owner of Goldin Auctions. “To me, these are the most important and most valuable pair of sneakers that will ever be sold.”
Despite that claim, the Flu Game sneakers aren’t the most expensive pair of Jordans ever sold at auction. That title belongs to the Air Jordan XIII Breds that His Airness wore during the 1998 NBA Finals, which sold for more than $2.2 million in April.
