The Air Jordan 1 “Love Letter” Releases On July 2nd

"Much love and respect."

Matt Varga June 18th, 2026 (updated)

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Updated June 18th, 2026: Jordan Brand has officially unveiled the Air Jordan 1 Retro High “Love Letter,” dropping July 2nd via Nike SNKRS and Jordan retailers. The design is inspired by Michael Jordan’s final farewell to the game of basketball and channels the sentiment behind his closing words “Much love and respect.”

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WHERE TO BUY

Mens Air Jordan 1 "Love Letter"

SKU: DZ5485-201

RETAIL PRICE: $185

RELEASE DATE: Aug 1, 2026

US 08/01/2026 Saturday

Retailer	Release type	Status
SNIPES US	Standard	Check Site
Foot Locker	Standard	Check Site
Sneaker Politics	Standard	Check Site
Nike SNKRS	Standard	Check Site
JD Sports US	Standard	Check Site
Finish Line	Standard	Check Site
Nikestore	Standard	Check Site
TAKOUT NY	Standard	Check Site

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Original article published June 5th, 2026:

Michael Jordan’s personal, familial, and playing career lore have been thoroughly mined for product inspiration. His outfit for the David Letterman reveal of the AJ1, his aerial abilities at large, or recently, the fan club surrounding the superstar have all received homages in the retro catalog.

Sometimes, it’s better to just keep things simple. The Air Jordan 1 Retro High “Love The Game” is inspired by Mike’s central passion for the game of basketball; literally. The chunky leather grain of a fresh ball inspires both the collar/heel overlays and the packaging for this simplistic edition, overall landing close to the coffee-inspired fare of the past, be it the “Mocha” or the “Latte” follow-up. To be sure, this pair breaks from those with a contrast outsole, as a burgundy hue covers the exterior of this shoe. Basketball hangtag and text on the medial collar that reads “Much Love And Respect” close out this commemorative edition.

Air Jordan 1 Love The Game 2

The Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Love The Game” is confirmed for a July 2nd release date in full family sizes. Men’s sizing clocks in at $185. Catch retailer images included below and watch our Jordan Release Dates 2026 page for more info.

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Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.