A pair of sneakers belonging to NBA legend Michael Jordan was sold for $1.47 million at a public auction. Sotheby's auction house announced on Sunday that the buyer is Nick Fiorella.
Fiorella is known as a collector of sports memorabilia valued in the millions. The sneakers, a pair of "Nike Air Ship," were worn by Jordan during his first season in the NBA in 1984, according to the auction house.
The red and white sneakers were previously owned by a ball boy for the Denver Nuggets, who received them as a gift.
It is noteworthy that last April, a pair of sneakers worn by American rapper Kanye West at the 2008 Grammy Awards sold for $1.8 million, the highest amount ever paid at auction for a sneaker, according to Sotheby's.
Extraordinary sneakers have made headlines repeatedly for achieving high prices at auctions recently. A pair of handmade white sneakers created by one of Nike's founders sold for $162,500 last year. Another pair of sneakers belonging to Jordan was sold for $560,000 last year.
