Matt Varga As it never received a hardwood spotlight on Michael Jordan’s feet, the Air Jordan 9 has become an underdog in the Retro catalog. For those who do give the silhouette its flowers, among the more legendary colorways beyond the OG looks is the “Alter Ego” collection, based on a 1994 advertisement promoting the IX in which a cleverly disguised Michael Jordan donned disguises to try and get onto the field of play. That ad is back in focus as detailed studio images of the Jordan 9 Low “What the Kilroy” come to light.
Though some pairs were only based on a few frames, they quickly stamped those expressive looks into the consciousness; the “Kilroy” itself, the “Motorboat Jones,” the “Bentley Ellis,” the “Slim Jenkins,” the “Calvin Bailey,” and the “Fontay Montana.” Some fourteen years later, each of those shoes lends a portion of itself to the Jordan 9 Low “What the Kilroy,” the closest we’ve come to a bring-back for that six-shoe series.
Each of the monikers lives on the tongue tags of the left and right shoes, doubling as a bill of goods that spells out which of the original shoes each pulls its mismatched arrangement from. Inside, there’s an additional branding twist, as three stacked Jumpmans sit on the insoles. Alternating “23” and “4” embroidery on the heels and “KILROY KICKS BUTT” text on the inside tongue close out the design.
The Air Jordan 9 Low “What The Kilroy” is expected to be released on August 14th, though, interestingly, only retailers outside of the United States have listed it to date. Catch detailed images below and watch our Jordan Release Dates page as we unravel whether this mashup colorway will be an overseas exclusive.
