Shoes sold for $33,387 might not have been worn by Michael Jordan

Nearly $34,000 will buy a lot of things — a new Acura TLX, a down-payment on a house, a pair of shoes.

A client of Long Island-based Grey Flannel Auctions who chose to remain anonymous recently purchased a pair of blue Converse shoes that the site claimed were game-worn by Michael Jordan during his time at UNC. According to ESPN, the shoes sold for $33,387.

The price might have seemed like a deal to some UNC sports aficionados until the shoes’ authenticity came into question.

“Those shoes were not game-worn by Jordan, at least not in the way they were described in the catalog,” Adam Lucas, a columnist for GoHeels.com, said in an email.

“I saw the shoes in the Grey Flannel catalog,” Lucas said. “I was surprised to see the blue Converse model because that same exact model had been up for sale several years ago.”

After seeing the shoes on sale again, Lucas contacted Grey Flannel Auctions and said he didn’t believe they were Michael Jordan’s authentic game-worn shoes.

“There was no evidence Carolina ever wore blue Converse during Jordan’s college career,” Lucas said.

“There are no photos or film at all from the 1982 season of anyone on Carolina’s roster — including Jordan — wearing blue Converse.”

But Lucas doesn’t deny that the shoes could have belonged to Jordan.

“It’s possible the shoes could have been worn by Jordan or belonged to Jordan, but it is very, very unlikely they were worn in a game,” he said.

Michael Jordan declined to comment on the authenticity of the shoes.

Even if the shoes are found to be fake, Grey Flannel Auctions might not face legal action.

“There are two sellers here: the person who sold the auction shoes to the auction house and the auction house,” said UNC law professor Deborah Gerhardt.

“Neither should be found guilty of fraud if they made statements they believed in good faith to be true.”

Michael Russek, director of operations at Grey Flannel Auctions, declined to comment on the matter.

“Even if they are not liable for fraud or under contract, they may choose to give a remedy to the buyer to show that they are a reputable organization, so that future clients won’t fear that they are taking a risk of purchasing fakes from them,” Gerhardt said.

According to reports by ESPN, Grey Flannel Auctions has already offered a refund to the highest bidder.

Steve Kirschner, spokesman for the UNC Department of Athletics, said multiple parties lose when fake sports memorabilia are produced.

“I don’t think it’s just specific to athletic departments and universities; the buyers are taken advantage of, the collectors are taken advantage of, the sports fans are taken advantage of,” Kirschner said.

university@dailytarheel.com