It all started with that Air Jordan IV, showing up with the monochrome blocking on top that was unlike any Air Jordan colorway we’d seen before. After that the Air Jordan XVI and Air Jordan XII did the same, suggesting that the super colorful pairs were part of some over-arching theme never to make it to retail, sort of in the same vein as the ‘History of Flight’ or ‘Pantone’ series. Well folks, Pandora’s box has officially been opened-it turns out the set spans quite the range, starting at the Air Jordan 1 and reaching all the way up to last year’s Air Jordan 2011, created strictly for display purposes in the Spring 2011 season just like the aforementioned collections. Every two pairs along the way sports a slightly different shade, with the 25 separate models included pretty much spanning what the rainbow has to offer. Hit the jump with us to check out the crazy Air Jordan ‘Rainbow Pack’ courtesy of brokeonjordans on eBay and let us know which pair among them you like the most. Photos: brokeonjordans
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Not that we’re counting, but it’s been 440 days since Jordan Brand released its last Air Jordan Premio from the Bin 23 Collection. Since then, there has been an abundance of Air Jordan Retros that have held us over, but to say the sneaker community has been patiently twiddling its collective thumbs is quite the understatement. Simply put, the Bin 23 Collection needs to make a comeback. Going back to the first Air Jordan Premio release of the Air Jordan II, we caught the first glimpse at the unparalleled luxury of ‘Premio’, as each individually numbered unit featured pristine materials, solid-wood shoe-trees, and separate shoe bags – the stuff you’d expect with high-end $1,000+ dress shoes. Not only is the Air Jordan IX the rarest of the bunch, this autographed pair (scribbled on by Michael Jordan) is, according to the seller, just one of two in existence, so take a look below to refresh yourself on Premio goodness and check out the full listing from oregonsole on eBay.
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Same story, different shoes? On Monday, Sneaker News showed you the upcoming October 2012 release of the Nike Air Flight One in Black/White and the interesting back-story and gave the an unintended infamy in the history of Michael Jordan. Before Michael borrowed Penny’s shoes, it appears that Penny dipped in MJ’s stash as we get a rare look at this Air Jordan IX Player Exclusive made for the Penny Hardaway during his rookie campaign. It features the Black/Charcoal upper like the OG, but with a Royal Blue interior and Jordan branding and Penny’s ’1′ logo stitched onto the heel. These are certainly one of the rarest and most interesting PEs to ever hit the planet, and the fact that they’re game-worn and signed by Penny himself just make ‘em that much greater, and although these do resemble the upcoming ‘Photo Blue’ Retro, it’s a stretch to say that Penny Hardaway had any connection with ‘em. These are up for sale now at IMAGE NY, a sneaker consignment shop located in Queens, NY that opened one year ago, so check out these detailed shots and let us know what you think.
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C.C. Sabathia’s been given the Opening Day nod by Yankee brass for the last four seasons, going 0-2 with two no-decisions (although his Friday-evening outing didn’t help the pinstripe cause). Well, at least his shoes are winners! C.C.’s been known to rock some sick Opening Day PEs, going to Jordan Melo M8 route for this recent start, but it’s not just his Game 1 starts – it’s his year-long Player Exclusive showcase that has us paying attention to baseball in the first-place – a sport that unfortunately lacks any sneaker-related highlights. Here’s a look at a pair of Air Jordan IXs in turf form, game-worn and autographed by the Yankees ace; although the colorway doesn’t have any similar to the four upcoming Holiday 2012 retros, a ‘Yankee’ inspired colorway would certainly be dope, as displayed by this PE. More images below, so take a look and access these firsthand by checking out the auction from 13alexrodriguez on eBay.
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We had already gotten wind of a heap of Air Jordan IX retros hitting this year about a month back, but only now are we figuring out just how deep the rabbit hole goes. One colorway that wasn’t included in that initial batch was the ‘French Blue’ shown here, which appears to be on the way as well, making a resurgence a complete decade after its 2002 debut. Interestingly enough the sneaker seems to have been augmented mostly in the sole area, where blue coats the midsole like never before and a possible glow in the dark effect appears to be in place on the outsole. Hit the jump for the full shot and let us know where you rank these amongst all the other Air Jordan IX’s on their way for 2012. Photos: kingcharles on SC forums
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The Sneaker News March Madness Non-OG Air Jordan Tournament gives our readers a chance to settle the score in determining which is the greatest non-original colorway in the Air Jordan Legacy. 2010′s monster hit ’Cool Grey’ Air Jordan XI is the 1 seed in the West, winning its opening round contest over the AJX’s 2005 ‘Ice Blue’ release. Over in the Southwest region, the 2007 Air Jordan III in Silver has advanced from the 3 slot despite the asterisk its CG nickname will forever carry. And in the Southeast, the 2001 CGXI’s most direct descendent has slipped through to round two after winning the 4/5 matchup, setting up the potential for three of the Final Four to represent the same color scheme.
The recent impact of 2K10′s Cool Grey Elevens is fresh enough that you’d have to expect they’re the favorite (both among those three and the entire bracket), but maybe that could shift with this huge piece of news. Joining this most jam-packed year on record is another potential wildfire in the Air Jordan IX Retro ‘Cool Grey’ arriving for the first time since its 2002 debut. Jordan Brand in particular has really outdone themselves with the huge array of heat this year, but will you be able to figure out how to afford them all?! Click through to get another look at the Air Jordan 9 Cool Grey 2012 slated for this December and stick with Sneaker News for the release date. via US11
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College basketball has been at season-high level of intensity with the ongoing Conference tournaments leading up to the Big Dance. In this recap of the games that occurred over the course of the last few days, you’ll notice that these kids like to match the top-flight level of play with one of the sickest sneaker rotations we’ve ever seen. Air Jordan Retros from almost a decade ago, Air Foamposite Ones, Player Exclusives and Nike iD colorways of the Zoom KD IV, LeBron 9, and Zoom Kobe VII – you name it, it’s in here. You can definitely expect the usual sneaker-head college names in here as well – schools like Syracuse, UConn, San Diego State, Washington, and plenty more. What are you waiting for? Check out the NCAA Feet recap after the jump and let us know what your favorite is! via ESPN
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It hasn’t even been two years since the Air Jordan IX saw a mass release, but it appears that Jordan Brand was just taking a prolonged break. We’ve got some more Air Jordan Retro releases confirmed for Holiday 2012, so if the confirmation of the Air Jordan XI ‘Bred’ was too much to handle, you might not be able to bear this excitement. According to reliable source TheAFoot on NT, what’s expected to arrive this December is the Air Jordan IX ‘Cool Grey’, a Retro release that first dropped in 2002 that featured a two-hit combo of nubuck and patent leather on the upper. Along with the Cool Grey’s another classic color will make a return as the Olive colorway will also make a return in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Also confirmed is a Black/Blue colorway for November, and a special Johnny Kilroy edition in Black/Metallic Silver for October 2012. For those unaware of who Johnny Kilroy is: Kilroy was a fictional basketball player – an identity that Michael Jordan assumed during his first retirement from the NBA. This character was the subject of one of the best Air Jordan commercials of all-time, which featured comedian Steve Martin as an investigative reporter that was researching Kilroy, his true identity, and the possibility of Jordan faking his retirement. In any case, Sneaker News will keep you up to date on these upcoming Retro releases, so let us know your thoughts in the comments area below.
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