In March of 1985, Nike Distribution (Memphis, Tennessee) donated 4 demo-prototype Air Jordan 1’s to the Memphis Whitehaven Varsity basketball team to be worn as a pre-sale promotion (before retail availability) in the Large A State Basketball Tournament. This pair of shoes were worn by All State point guard Ricks Mason (Rico) whose team eventually won the AAA State Championship at Vanderbilt University in March 1985, two months before Nike fielded the wings trademark on May 7, 1985. Additionally, the shoes were worn months before retail availability and the phenomenon that they would eventually become, making these one of the first and earliest pairs of Jordan 1's ever to hit the market. Prototype Air Jordan 1’s.

Offered in this lot is a pair of the pre-release Air Jordan I sneakers originally presented to the Memphis Whitehaven basketball team and worn at the University of Central Arkansas where the original owner played with Scottie Pippen, future NBA All Star and teammate of Michael Jordan. He recalls Scottie Pippen making remarks about how different the shoes were from the norml basketball shoes at the time. These iconic sneakers are white and red, with black accents in the classic Chicago Bulls colors. The Air Jordan logo is located on the heel of both shoes. The laces are black and these shoes display good wear. The shoes have the serial number 9841201-TYSS. This pair of Air Jordan I sneakers are an incredible piece of basketball history, dating to the earliest days of the modern NBA.

Please note that this lot has a 25% Buyer’s Premium (28% if payment is made using a credit card and/or is not paid within 10 days of invoice). Goldin Auctions will be donating 5% of the winning bid price to The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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