Air Jordan

Air Jordan is a yearly set of sneakers released by Brand Jordan, a NIKE, Inc. subsidiary. Created for six-time NBA Champion Michael Jordan in 1984, the Air Jordan line debuted at retail in 1985 with the Jordan 1. Currently releasing the Jordan 38 with eyes towards the successor Jordan 39, the sub-label is the most popular athlete-specific sneaker line ever created. Designers have included Peter Moore, Bruce Kilgore, Wilson Smith III, Tate Kuerbis, and Tinker Hatfield, who’s credited for 21 of 38 models.

While rooted in performance basketball, Jordans – in particular models between the Jordan 1 and Jordan 14 – have enjoyed widespread adoption in the lifestyle and casual wear spaces. Brand Jordan reissued the set’s first sneaker in 1994 during Jordan’s first retirement from the NBA. Subsequent years have seen hundreds of old and new retros, be they individual releases or as larger collections or sets (i.e. “Defining Moments Pack,” “Countdown Pack,” “Bin 23”). Retros of the Jordan 3, Jordan 4, Jordan 5, and Jordan 6 typically stir controversy depending on whether they feature “NIKE”/”NIKE AIR” branding like their “OG” counterparts or modernized “JORDAN” and Jumpman logos. Nevertheless, the retro line is alive and well all the same, having helped its parent company achieve its first $1 billion revenue quarter in the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year. (The brand’s best-selling release of all-time was 2019’s Jordan 11 “Bred”.)

Outside of general release pairs, Air Jordan collabs remain a major, major driver of hype in the footwear space year in and year out. Beginning with the UNDEFEATED Jordan 4, enlisting outside creatives has resulted in some of the most sought-after sneakers in the history of the hobby. Since that 2006 pair, Jordan Brand’s roster has swelled tremendously to include the likes of  Supreme, OFF-WHITE, Travis Scott, UNION LA, and J BALVIN. Furthermore, athletes the likes of Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Carmelo Anthony, and Russell Westbrook have received special Friends & Family and Player Exclusive (PE) pairs, which have only contributed to Air Jordan’s legend.

Air Jordan

A Detailed Look At Russell Westbrook’s Unreleased Air Jordan 10 PE From 2014

Before donning his own Jordan Why Not Zer0.3 or any of its predecessors, Russell Westbrook laced up many Air Jordan Player Exclusives on court. Among...

By Jovani Hernandez April 13, 2020
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The Florida Gators Unveil An Air Jordan PE Collection In Orange And Blue

Before, after, and during this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, Jordan Brand sponsored schools the likes of the University of Michigan and Georgetown University were given...

By Ben Felderstein July 18, 2018
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Where To Buy: Air Jordan 10 “I’m Back”

By now you know the story behind the Air Jordan 10 “I’m Back”, but if you don’t you can ready a brief description of it...

By Ben Felderstein March 17, 2018
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The NBA All-Star Game Breaks Ground For Sneaker Collaborations On The Court

NBA All-Star Weekend is a chance for some of the world’s top hoopers to show their stuff on a world stage, and flaunt their absolute...

By Ben Felderstein February 19, 2018
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Air Jordan 10 “Purple Fade” Releasing This Saturday

Jordan Brand will be introducing a brand new Air Jordan 10 colorway exclusively for girls this weekend. Dressed primarily in black, this new look boasts...

By Ben Felderstein February 5, 2018
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Jordan Brand Celebrate 23 Years Of The Air Jordan 10 With Two Incredible Releases

In celebration of 23 years of the Air Jordan 10, the Jumpman has two releases of the silhouette planned that celebrate a few of the...

By Ben Felderstein January 16, 2018
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Michael Jordan’s Finals Opponents Remembered In Upcoming Air Jordan 10 Retro

Jordan Brand is revisiting one of its most coveted colorways and bringing it back to life on the Air Jordan 10. Dressed in grey, the...

By Ben Felderstein January 10, 2018
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Up Close With The Steve Wiebe x Air Jordan 10 Retro

Last week, Jordan Brand announced an official collaboration with celebrity tattoo artist, Steve Wiebe. The highlight of that aforementioned collection is undoubtedly the Air Jordan...

By Ben Felderstein December 11, 2017
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Kawhi Leonard Debuts Air Jordan 5 PE In Gold

Jordan Brand has updated the Air Jordan 5 in all kinds of new colorways throughout this year, but none of them stack up to what...

By Patrick Johnson September 4, 2017
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