Michael Jordan is the GOAT because of his many achievements, but a legend doesn’t grow that big without some defining moments, either. Jordan’s ‘flu game’ came during the 1997 NBA Finals against Utah Jazz in Game 5 and it was truly iconic.
And while the game itself can be discussed in detail, the shoes he wore while doing it have a story of their own. They initially were sold for $105,000 in 2013, before recently being auctioned off again for a whopping $1.38 million. Business analyst Darren Rovell explained why that happened.
“I always say when there are real one-off pieces when it’s one-of-one, that’s really where you’re in good shape,” Rovell said on the Dan Patrick Show. “These flu game shoes sold again for the second time.
“They first sold in 2013 straight from the ball boy — Preston Truman — for $105,000. And they just sold for $1.38 million. I think the reason for that is overtime is not just inflation but… you just look, it’s one-on-one. It’s Jordan’s most iconic game and to own a piece of that that’s authenticated, that’s real.”
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Michael Jordan wore a pair of Air Jordan XIIs for the legendary game, which he gave to Jazz ball-boy Preston Truman after the game ended. As the story goes, Truman helped MJ out with some crackers and applesauce on multiple occasions during road games in Utah and earned the GOAT’s gratitude. He sold them in 2013, and they were again auctioned in 2023.
Michael Jordan’s Flu Game Was One Of The Greatest Moments In NBA History
By 1997, Michael Jordan had already established himself as one of the greatest to ever do it, if not the GOAT. But with that Game 5 performance against the Jazz in 1997, he truly made it official in a lot of ways. The series was tied 2-2 and the game was in Utah, with Jordan so sick that he had to be hooked up to an IV before it happened. It has been revealed that he might have had food poisoning due to some bad pizza.
In any case, Jordan didn’t let that stop him, getting an insane 38 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a narrow 90-88 win. He drilled a clutch three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining that gave the Chicago Bulls the win. The Bulls closed out the series and won their fifth championship. It’s hard to imagine any shoes being worth over $1 million, but if there was to be a pair, it makes sense that it’s this one.
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