Why are Air Jordans so valuable? Second-hand sneakers expected to sell for somewhere in the region of $2 million...

For a pair of second-hand sneakers to be expected to sell for somewhere in the region of $2 million to $4 million, they must be pretty special. Nike Air Jordan 13s worn by Michael Jordan in the second game of the NBA finals in 1998 are to be auctioned by Sotheby's..

Next week, a pair of Nike Air Jordan 13s worn by Michael Jordan in the second game of the NBA finals in 1998, a season colloquially known as "the last dance", are to be auctioned by Sotheby's and are the most valuable sneakers to ever appear on the market.

"At the  time [of the game] the Bulls were cognisant that they were going to be disbanded as a team, they were aware that this was their last chance at winning an NBA championship together," Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of streetwear and modern collectables, tells BBC Culture. "The pair that we have is actually the only MeiGray photo-matched pair (MeiGray is the authenticator for the NBA) from any of the NBA finals that have ever appeared at auction."

The current auction record for a pair of trainers at auction, according to Sotheby's, is $1.472m in 2021, also for a pair worn by Jordan. That the Jordan 13s are expected to eclipse this record amount speaks not only to their rarity but also to the incredible, lasting legacy of arguably the most iconic sneaker design ever created. "It's something that will appeal to sneakerheads, and will also appeal to game-worn collectors," says Wachter, meaning that they show signs of having graced Jordan's feet on court. "They definitely look worn but they are in really good condition considering how old they are."