Michael Jordan's sneakers sell for record $615,000

A pair of Michael Jordan's game-worn sneakers sold for $615,000 (€520,000), Christie's auction house announced, breaking the previous record set just months ago by another pair of the basketball legend's shoes.

Jordan wore the red-and-black Air Jordan 1 Highs during a 1985 exhibition match in Italy when he dunked the ball so hard it shattered the glass backboard.

"This is the original shoe with an actual piece of the backboard, a piece of glass, in the sole of the shoe," said Caitlin Donovan, head of handbag and sneaker sales at Christie's – the famous auction house that organized the auction with Stadium Goods.

Overall, Jordan racked up 30 points while wearing the size 13.5 shoes.

Read more: Michael Jordan among Obama's final Medal of Freedom recipients

Record breaking footwear

The sale broke the previous highest price paid for a pair of sneakers at auction set in May when a pair of Air Jordan 1's sold for $560,000.

But the most recent auction for another pair of Jordan's worn footwear landed below the estimated range of $650,000 and $850,000.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) describes Jordan, who retired in 2003, as "the greatest basketball player of all time."

The market value of objects associated with the star have soared since the release of "The Last Dance," an ESPN/Netflix documentary about Jordan and his time playing for the Chicago Red Bulls.

kmm/rt /dpa, SID)