In the heart of Wilmington, North Carolina, where summer mornings painted the sky in shades of amber and gold, a man in his early sixties pushed a mop across the floor of Maria’s Diner. His name was James Wilson, but everyone knew him as Jimmy. Decades ago, he shared a basketball court with someone who would become a legend.
The morning regulars at Maria’s barely noticed Jimmy anymore. He had been the maintenance man there for the past three years, ever since the construction company he worked for went under. His movements were slower now, each sweep of the mop accompanied by a slight grimace, the kind that spoke of joints that had seen better days and dreams that never quite materialized. But if you looked closely at Jimmy’s face, beneath the tired eyes and weathered skin, there was something familiar in his smile. It was the same smile that appeared in an old photograph hanging in his modest apartment—a picture from 1978 showing two teenage boys in basketball jerseys, arms around each other’s shoulders, their whole lives ahead of them. One of those boys would go on to become Michael Jordan; the other would become the man now cleaning floors at Maria’s Diner.
The irony wasn’t lost on Jimmy. Life has a way of taking unexpected turns, separating paths that once seemed destined to run parallel forever. He hadn’t spoken to Michael in over 30 years, not since their early twenties when their lives began moving in different directions. While Michael’s star rose to unprecedented heights, Jimmy’s life followed a more modest trajectory—marriage, a son, a steady job in construction, and then the slow unraveling of financial security that brought him here.
Maria Rodriguez, the diner’s owner, watched Jimmy from behind the counter. She was one of the few who knew his story, who had seen the old photographs and heard the tales of two boys who once dreamed of NBA glory together. “Jimmy,” she called out, “take a break. Coffee’s fresh.” He nodded gratefully, setting the mop aside and making his way to the counter.
The morning news played quietly on the small TV mounted in the corner. Jimmy didn’t pay much attention until he heard the familiar name—Michael Jordan. His eyes drifted upward as the segment detailed Jordan’s latest philanthropic venture: a new community center being built in Chicago. The camera zoomed in on Michael’s face as he spoke about giving back to the community and remembering where you came from.
Jimmy’s coffee grew cold as he watched, lost in memories of pickup games on sunbaked courts, of shared dreams whispered during late-night practices, of promises made by two boys who believed they would conquer the world together. His hand unconsciously moved to his pocket, where he kept a folded newspaper clipping from 1978—his high school basketball team’s championship victory, with young Michael and Jimmy front and center.
The diner’s bell chimed as Pastor David Thompson walked in, right on schedule for his morning coffee and conversation. The pastor had known Jimmy for years and had counseled him through the hardest times: the loss of his job, the struggle to keep his son in college, the mounting medical bills from Sarah’s ongoing battle with arthritis. But today, there was something different in the pastor’s step, an urgency in his movement as he made his way to Jimmy’s usual spot at the counter.
“Jimmy,” Pastor Thompson said, settling onto the stool beside him, “I’ve been thinking about your situation—praying about it, actually.” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “You know, sometimes God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes he brings people back into our lives when we least expect it.”
Jimmy managed a tired smile, the kind that’s more habit than happiness. “Pastor, I appreciate the thought, but I’ve made peace with where I am. Some of us are meant for greatness; others for…” he gestured around the diner, “this.”
But Pastor Thompson wasn’t finished. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his messages. “You remember my cousin who works with the Jordan brand in Chicago?” Jimmy nodded, though the connection wasn’t clear to him yet. “Well, he mentioned something interesting. Michael’s been asking about old friends from Wilmington. Your name came up.”
The words hung in the air like morning mist, heavy with possibility. Jimmy’s hands began to tremble slightly, and he set his coffee cup down to hide it. For years, he had avoided thinking too much about his old friend, about the divergent paths their lives took. It wasn’t jealousy; he had always been proud of Michael’s success. But rather, a deep-seated fear that remembering those days too clearly would make his present reality harder to bear.
Maria, who had been pretending not to listen, couldn’t help but interject. “Jimmy, maybe it’s time. Maybe this is your chance to reconnect.”
He shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. “What would I even say to him? ‘Hey, Michael, remember me? I’m the
Michael Jordan’s Olympic Converse, world’s first ‘Nikes’ on auction at Sotheby’s
Michael Jordan 1984 Converse Fastbreaks that he wore in the Olympic trials will be auctioned off.Getty Images/Sotheby’s
These used sneakers are worth more than their weight in gold.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan wore the size-13 Converse Fastbreaks during the trials for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, before he went on to win a gold medal with the US team in the games. They’re now estimated to fetch a cool $80,000 to $100,000.
The signed sneaks are among the 50-plus lots of rare memorabilia from Olympic athletes, being sold in an online-only Sotheby’s auction. Bidding begins July 23, the day of the Tokyo Games’ opening ceremony.
The Converse are believed to be among the rarest Michael Jordan-worn sneakers now in existence — especially notable as he is so closely tied to Nike.
“He really liked Converse,” said Brahm Wachter, the head of streetwear and modern collectibles at Sotheby’s. “They were low to the ground, he could feel the court beneath his feet.”
Michael Jordan’s Converse are estimated to fetch $80,000 to $100,000 at auction.Sotheby’s
Not only is the auction ringing in the start of the pandemic-postponed games. It also comes at a time when collectors’ interest for rare sports memorabilia, and sneakers especially, is through the roof. In 2019, International Olympic Committee founder Pierre de Coubertin’s 1892 manifesto for the modern games sold for $8.8 million in a Sotheby’s auction. Last summer, Christie’s auctioned a pair of kicks that Jordan wore during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics for $112,500.
“Sneakers in general have become the most hip sports collectible besides sports cards because they appeal to a huge demographic,” said Leila Dunbar, an independent appraiser with an expertise in sports and pop culture memorabilia. (She previously ran Sotheby’s Collectibles Department, but has no involvement with this auction.)
Also up for bid is a pair of metallic Nike spikes worn and signed by sprinter Michael Johnson — who became known as “the man with the golden shoes” for wearing a nearly identical pair during his winning 200-meter and 400-meter dashes at the 1996 Atlanta games.
Vince Carter-worn Olympic jersey and shorts.Sotheby’s
Vince Carter soars in the air during the Sydney 2000 Olympics.AFP via Getty Images
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It was all part of his plan: “I didn’t want to be standing there in gold-plated shoes with a silver medal around my neck,” Johnson said at the time.
The footwear even made the cover of Time magazine, when Johnson tossed them over his shoulder alongside the gold medals around his neck. The auction shoes are expected to grab between $30,000 and $50,000.
But the big get is a pair of track spikes — estimated between $800,000 and $1.2 million — that Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman created for Canadian Olympic sprinter Harry Jerome in the early 1960s. They pre-date the 1964 launch of Blue Ribbon Sports, which later became Nike, and Jerome’s bronze medal for the 100-meter race that same year, and feature four red prototype logos that resemble Nike’s signature swoosh and “waffle” sole.
Michael Johnson-worn and signed “Golden Shoes”Sotheby’s
Gold medal winner Michael Johnson in the 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta.Popperfoto via Getty Images
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“[Browerman] was zero percent at that time concerned with aesthetics,” said Wachter. “He was focused on, ‘Could this make the athlete run better, faster? Would this improve their time?’”
Most notable, said Dunbar, is that these may be the earliest known Nike prototypes that have come up for auction.
“Anything that’s a first … sets a foundation and, because of that, it has a higher level of desirability and historical importance, and that translates out usually into value,” Dunbar said.
Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman’s handmade prototype logo track spikes.Sotheby’s
Bill BowermanAlamy Stock Photo
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There’s also an Olympic jersey-and-shorts combo, with a $5,000 to $10,000 estimate, made for hoops star Vince Carter who won gold during the 2000 games in Sydney. That’s when he performed his gravity-defying “le dunk de la mort” (dunk of death) — as the French press called it at the time — by jumping over seven-foot-two French player Frédéric Weiss. It’s one of the most iconic moves in hoops history, making Carter’s Olympic gear all the more valuable.
“These are tough items to find,” Dunbar said. “When you buy Olympic athlete … memorabilia, you are buying history. You are buying a moment in time that can’t be replaced and it can’t be recaptured.”
