Andrew Rizzo What comes to mind when you think of Michael Jordan’s signature move? The fadeaway jumper, the spin move with a mini-shimmy, the free throw line dunk — all valid answers. But there’s another, one that’s arguably even more showboating in nature. On March 31, 1992, Patrick Ewing and thousands of Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden got to witness it firsthand.
Playing in what he later anointed “the Mecca of basketball,” Jordan showed off his unmatched confidence by sinking the second of two free throws with his eyes closed — and with the Bulls leading the Knicks by just five points and only 14 seconds left in the game. It wasn’t the first time he pulled the stunt, either. Earlier that season, he famously taunted Nuggets rookie Dikembe Mutombo with the same trick during a preseason matchup.
Now, the sneakers Jordan wore that night are hitting the auction block. This game-worn Air Jordan 7 “Hare”, complete with MJ’s signature on the heel, is being offered through Sotheby’s, which projects the pair could sell for as much as $600,000. That figure would eclipse the auction prices of Jordan’s game-worn Air Jordan 8s from the 1993 NBA Finals and his game-worn Air Jordan 11s from 1996, both of which sold last year.
Collectors with deep pockets can register now on the Sotheby’s website to bid on the Michael Jordan “Closed Eyes Free Throw” shoes. Again, when the gavel falls, they’re expected to fetch up to $600,000.
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
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- Air Jordan 7 Hare “Closed Eyes Free Throw” Game Sotheby’s
