The Actual Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1s From 1985 Still Have Backboard Glass Stuck In The Shoe

In the summer of 1985, Michael Jordan joined Nike in an exhibition game in Italy, donning black and orange jerseys while showcasing his GOAT-in-the-making talents to the European fanbase. During that run, Jordan dropped thirty points and ended up shattering a backboard with a vicious one-handed dunk. But thanks to an impressive sneaker release in 2015, this random side-quest went from forgotten tidbit in MJ history to a moment forever frozen in time. Since then, the black/orange pairing has been quickly dubbed the “Shattered Backboard”, cementing itself among the most revered colorways in Air Jordan history.

As one of the eleven breath-taking lots in the Stadium Goods x Christie’s ORIGINAL AIR event, the actual “Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1s” are being auctioned, with final bids projected to reach as high as $850,000. This is the exact pair that Michael Jordan wore during that game – so authentic that a piece of the actual backboard glass still remains embedded in the left shoe. Check out a look at these incredible relics and browse all eleven lots from ORIGINAL AIR here; bidding will begin on July 30th.

UPDATE (08/14/2020):
The Stadium Goods x Christie’s “Original Air” auction closed after achieving 82% of its items sold. All but two lots were unable to find a buyer, but the online-only sale raked in a total of $931,875 USD. Arguably unsurprising, the auction’s top lot was this original Air Jordan 1 High “Shattered Backboard”, which fetched an $615,000 USD – unprecedented for sneakers at auction.