Zion Williamson hasn’t even played a regular season NBA game yet, but his shoes are already worth a whole lot of money.
A pair of sneakers the 19-year-old wore on the court last season when he was a Duke freshman just sold for nearly $20,000.
Williamson sported the kicks during a Nov. 19 matchup against San Diego State, which his team won 90-64. The sneakers are size 15 Nike Kyrie 5s, which are mostly black, with white and blue detailing in Blue Devils colors.
With a minimum bidding price of $7,500, the shoes were sold by Goldin Auctions for a whopping $19,680.
The basketball phenom’s national recognition shot through the roof after his Nike PG 2.5s bust open during a Feb. 20 game against UNC-Chapel Hill. While $19,680 is no figure to sneeze at, Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin indicated that the blown-out pair could be worth much more — $250,000.
The record for most expensive sneaker was set last month, when a 1972 Nike Waffle Racing Flat “Moon Shoe” was scooped up for $437,500 by Canadian entrepreneur Miles Spencer Nadal. The shoe was auctioned off by Sotheby’s and Stadium Goods.
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The previous record for most expensive sneakers sold at an auction was set in 2017 when a pair of signed Converse sneakers — believed to have been worn by Michael Jordan in the 1984 Olympic Finals — sold for $190,373.
Williamson was drafted No. 1 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in June and announced a sneaker deal with Jordan Brand in July. According to Forbes, the star’s contract could span seven years and result in a $75 million payout.
