Mega-mansion has $470k sneaker room, full court and golf course

Can you imagine owning an enormous mega-mansion that included a custom-built Air Jordan sneaker gallery worth an estimated $470,000 (US$300,000)? Throw in a full-size basketball court, a golf course, two resort-style pools and a history of hosting NBA stars and you’re talking about a home that not only exists but has hit the US property market for $US23.5 million – that’s a cool $37.1 million in Australian dollars.

Located in Arizona, the huge estate has seven bedrooms and no less than 18 bathrooms.

Built from the ground up by Brett Hardt, a longtime sports aficionado* and founder of US apparel* brand Attitude Is Free, A-list athletes like the late Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard have all visited and trained at the property.

After buying a 2.02ha lot in 2014, Mr Hardt started building his sporting paradise, which includes a regulation-sized basketball court that is located more than five metres below ground.

The basketball court more than holds its own against some of the NBA’s most popular venues, featuring a professional scoreboard, locker room, private parking and stadium seating.

One of the most exciting days for Mr Hardt was when late basketball legend Kobe Bryant came to the house.

“After Kobe retired and he was coaching his daughter’s team and they wanted a place to get ready for the top tournament on the west coast. I got to witness Kobe coach, and it was amazing,” Mr Hardt said.

“The respect he had, his way with the young girls was fascinating. After practice we chopped it up for an hour and it was a conversation I cherish.”

Sadly the visit turned out to be Bryant’s last, with the Lakers legend passing away in a helicopter crash five weeks later, which Mr Hardt said broke his heart when he heard.

A number of current and former NBA players have also come to use the private court to work out, including Mikal Bridges, Chet Holgren, OG Anunoby, Jalen Green and Anfernee Simons.

The impressive home also pays homage* to NBA’s GOAT*, the league’s best ever player and biggest cultural influence honoured in a $US300,000 custom-made sneaker room.

Known as the “Jordan Room,” the gallery-like space features a “museum-quality display of 290 Michael Jordan sneakers.”

The room holds Mr Hardt’s personal collection of Air Jordans, which he began acquiring in 2004, but there is space to display 325 pairs of sneakers.

“The retail cost of the sneakers well exceeds (US) $400,000. Since it is a museum and art I am including all of the shoes in the sale,” Mr Hardt said.

Additional amenities* include a nine-hole putting green, a golf simulator*, a home theatre, a gym, and a 3.2km jogging track that encircles the property, according to Realtor.

Mr Hardt purchased the land in 2014 for $US920,000 and spent millions more in building his personal paradise.

“It was a five-year project that we had an unlimited budget (for)”, Mr Hardt said.

This story was originally published by realestate.com.au and is republished with permission

POLL

GLOSSARY

• aficionado: someone who is very interested in and enthusiastic about a particular subject
• apparel: clothing, attire
• homage: expression of deep respect and praise for a person or god
• GOAT: acronym for “greatest of all time”
• amenities: facilities designed for convenience and enjoyment
• simulator: a machine that imitates an environment or activity for the purposes of training

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QUICK QUIZ

1. How many bathrooms does this extraordinary property have?
2. What is the estimated price tag in Australian dollars for the mega-mansion in Arizona?
3. Which late NBA legend ran a coaching session for his daughter’s team at the property?
4. How many pairs of sneakers can the Jordan Room hold in total?
5. What is the estimated value of the owner’s collection of 290 Michael Jordan sneakers?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. News: condensed
Identify the most important pieces of information in this article and write a condensed version of it using 50 words or less.

Draw a picture or diagram to support your condensed news story.

Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science

2. Extension
Compare your condensed news story with a classmate. Did you both include the same information or are your stories quite different? Discuss your choices and then work together to create a final condensed version of the story that you both agree tells the important parts that a reader would need or want to know.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

VCOP ACTIVITY
Imaginative dialogue
Imagine you were there when the late, great Kobe Bryant visited Mr Hardt’s home.

Create a conversation between you, Mr Hardt and Kobe Bryant. Don’t forget to try to use facts and details from the article to help make your dialogue as realistic as possible.

Go through your writing and highlight any punctuation you have used in green. Make sure you carefully check the punctuation used for the dialogue and ensure you have opened and closed the speaking in the correct places.