Michael Jordan 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls Game Worn and Dual-Signed Air Jordan XI | Alvin Gentry Provenance

Michael Jordan’s name has become synonymous with greatness. The NBA legend’s unprecedented success as an athlete is well-documented and may never be replicated – 6 NBA championships, 6 Finals MVPs, 5 league MVPs, and 2 Olympic Gold Medals are just a few of Jordan’s on-court accomplishments. Many consider Jordan to be the greatest athlete who ever lived.

Sotheby’s is proud to present: Michael Jordan’s 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls Game Worn and Dual-Signed Air Jordan XI. 

The sneakers come with provenance from Alvin Gentry, who served as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons during the 1995-1996 season, and by a letter from James Spence in regards to the signatures.

Both sneakers show heavy signs of use, and feature ‘Best Wishes, Michael Jordan’ signed and inscribed on the collar of each sneaker. The interior tags are coded as ‘Sample FTPS’ and note that the pair is in Jordan’s size, 13.5. 

The 1995-1996 Season 

After the first three-peat, Michal Jordan retired from basketball to pursue a career in professional baseball. When the MLB players went on strike in 1994, Jordan refused to cross the picket line, ultimately returning to the Bulls in March of 1995. In the 1995-96 season – Jordan’s first full NBA season since 1992-93 – Jordan and the Bulls won a then-NBA record 72 games, cementing their legacy as one of the league’s greatest teams. 

In the postseason, Jordan and the Bulls cruised through the 1996 NBA Playoffs, only losing one game in the first three Playoff rounds. Returning to the NBA Finals for the fourth time in the decade, the Bulls would face off against Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. 

The Bulls would go on to win the series in 6 games, capturing their 4th NBA title and the first of their soon-to-be second “Three-Peat”. Jordan would be named NBA Finals MVP for the fourth time, leading all scorers with 27.3 points per game. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in the series.