Michael Jordan’s sneakers sell for record-breaking $1.47 million

Hits a game-winning basket for the Tar Heels in the NCAA championship game against Georgetown. Score: 63-62.

Named AP college player of the year. Jordan also is honored with the Naismith and Wooden college player of the year awards.

DePaul's coach Ray Meyer,left, and Michael Jordan of North Carolina, right, were named coach and player of the year.

Wins a gold medal - scoring a game-high 20 points in the final against Spain - during the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Jordan leads the Bob Knight-coached Team USA in scoring with 137 points in eight games - a 17.1 average.

Debuts the first of his signature line of sneakers in a game against the 76ers. The red, black and white shoes violate league policy, and Nike pays the fine for Jordan. The Air Jordan I becomes available to the public in 1985.

"I told him I thought he was taller. He told me he thought I was, too."

- Julius "Dr. J" Erving, on Michael Jordan

In Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, Jordan torches the Celtics for a postseason-record 63 points in a 135-131 double-overtime loss at Boston Garden. Two days later, however, the Bulls are eliminated from the playoffs in three games by the Celtics.

"I think he's God disguised as Michael Jordan. He is the most awesome player in the NBA. Today in Boston Garden, on national TV, in the playoffs, he put on one of the greatest shows of all time."

- Larry Bird, Boston Celtics

With hometown fans cheering in Chicago Stadium, Jordan and Dominique Wilkins go toe-to-toe in the dunk contest during All-Star Weekend. Jordan wins, recording a perfect score with a slam that lifted off at the free-throw line.

Spike Lee's Mars Blackmon character from the movie "She's Gotta Have It" determines in a commercial that "it's gotta be the shoes" that drive Jordan's greatness.

Scores 29 points in a deciding Game 4 victory against the Pistons, a sweep of the team that had given the Bulls so much trouble in previous playoffs.

"You see two different styles with us and them. The dirty play and the flagrant fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct. Hopefully, that will be eliminated from the game."

- Michael Jordan

In winning his first championship, Jordan scores 30 points with 10 assists and five steals as the Bulls defeat the Lakers, 108-101 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Jordan cries during the locker-room celebration and receives the first of six Finals MVP awards. The team holds a victory celebration in Grant Park two days later.

"It's the most proud day I've ever had."

- Michael Jordan

Scores 33 points and wins his second championship by defeating the Blazers, 97-93 in Game 6.

The Bulls win their third championship. Jordan has 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists against the Phoenix Suns in the clinching 99-98 Game 6 victory. He's named NBA Finals MVP for the third straight year. The team holds a victory celebration in Grant Park two days later.

"Winning this championship is harder than anything I've ever done before in basketball, with all the ups and downs I've gone through this season and the mental approach that I've had to take into each game. We never gave up hope, and now that this team has become part of history, it's a very gratifying feeling for me."

- Michael Jordan

The Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan, left, Bill Cartwright, center, and Scottie Pippen, right, show off the teams three NBA Championship Trophies.

Jordan's No. 23 jersey ascends to the rafters in the United Center - though it gets momentarily stuck halfway up. A bronze statue of him also is revealed outside the United Center, but it has since been moved inside the arena.

Michael Jordan arrives at the Chicago Bulls? Berto training center in Deerfield, Ill., Saturday, March 18, 1995.

Puts No. 23 back on for Game 2 of a playoff series against the Orlando Magic. Jordan scores 38 points in a 104-94 win.

"After his third or fourth foul, I was looking for 45 up on the scoreboard and couldn't see it. Then I noticed 23 up there and I looked at his shirt and said, 'Oh (expletive), he's wearing 23 tonight.' "

- Brian Hill, Orlando Magic coach

"Space Jam" is released and Tribune movie critic Gene Siskel - a Bulls season ticket holder with courtside seats - gives the film, starring Michael Jordan, Bill Murray and Looney Tunes characters including Bugs Bunny, 3.5 stars.

In what would become known as the "Flu Game," a vomiting, dehydrated Jordan scores 38 points, grabs seven rebounds, dishes out five assists and hits the go-ahead 3-pointer late in a series-shifting Game 5 win against the Jazz in Utah.

"We wanted it real bad. I had to do what I could. I wanted it really bad."

- Michael Jordan

Wins his fifth regular-season MVP award, tying Bill Russell for second-most in history.

With the Bulls down three, Jordan records a steal and two scores in the final 37.1 seconds, including "The Pose" after the shot over Bryon Russell - a 17-footer (after a bit of a push-off) with 5.2 seconds to go. Jordan scores 45 points in Game 6 against the Jazz, leading the Bulls to their sixth title.

"I think it's bittersweet in the sense that it was the toughest route, the toughest challenge, in the six championships we have won."

- Michael Jordan

At 38, Jordan unretires again and joins the Wizards as a player, signing a two-year contract and donating his salary to relief efforts after the 9/11 attacks.

"The opportunity to teach our young players and help them elevate their game to a higher level ... strongly influenced my decision."

- Michael Jordan

Scores 20 points in his final All-Star Game, becoming the all-time leading All-Star scorer. He takes Vince Carter's starting spot after Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady offered theirs.

Takes shots - mostly good-natured ones - at everyone from Dean Smith to Jerry Reinsdorf during his Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech.

An image of Jordan becoming emotional during his speech is soon turned into a "Crying Jordan" meme.

"Jerry's (Krause) not here. I don't know who'd invite him. I didn't."

- Michael Jordan

Says - with tears streaming down his face - Kobe Bryant was 'like a little brother' during a memorial for the Lakers star, who was among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles in January 2020.

"I told my wife I wasn't gonna (cry), because I didn't want to see (another crying meme) for the next three to four years."

- Michael Jordan

A pair of Nike Air Ships sneakers worn by Michael Jordan have sold for a record-breaking $1.47 million.

The shoes set a record for the highest price acheived for a pair of sneakers at auction.