0%

Episode 5 – The One and Only

Posted By: Immortal Soles On:

Immortal

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

The Nike Air Jordan 1 is perhaps the greatest, most defining, most precedent-setting basketball shoe in history.

This is the sneaker that started the shoe collecting craze. It practically created the movement that would become modern sneaker culture as we know it today. This is the shoe that helped launch the career of Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time. This is the shoe that inspired dreams of basketball greatness in all of us, from the young playground hoopster to the aging gym warrior –  If we could just walk in his shoes, we could also taste greatness because – “it’s gotta be the shoes”, right? In the pantheon of shoe greatness, this one truly stands immortal!

Fresh out of college and bound for the NBA, a young Michael Jordan dreamed of scoring a shoe deal with Adidas. He didn’t care about Converse, or Nike or any other shoe brand. So…how did Nike end up getting the honors to create his first signature shoe? And why did the NBA oppose this shoe? What exactly is the story behind the Air Jordan 1?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTX5rD0lNeY
Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot for the 1982 NCAA championship
Source: Youtube
A signed pair of Michael’s game-worn Converse sneakers from UNC’s 1982 national championship season
Source: Sneaker News
Michael wearing Converse sneakers in the 1984 Olympics. A pair of these game-worn Converse sneakers sold in June 2017 for $190,373
Source: Peter Read Miller, The Sports Digest
Game-worn Air Ships from 1984 that sold for over $71,000
Source: Kicks on Fire
Letter from Russ Granik to Rob Strasser concerning the un-sanctioned shoes worn by Michael in October of 1984
Source: Sole Collector
Michael wearing the “banned” black and red colorway of the Air Ships in the 1985 Slam Dunk Contest
Source: Yahoo Sports
Original commercial for the “Banned” Air Jordan 1’s
Source: Youtube
The “Banned” Air Jordan 1’s, as promoted by Nike. These look remarkably similar to the black and red Air Ships, which are thought to be largely the prototype for the Air Jordan 1.
Boys’ Life Magazine cover from 1989, depicting a skateboarder wearing Air Jordan 1’s
Source: Vintage Skateboard Magazines
Skateboarders wearing Air Jordan 1’s
Source: Modern-Notoriety

Check out this comprehensive list of the many colorways and iterations of the Air Jordan 1.

SHARE

/ /

Play Cover Track Title
Track Authors
Updating playlist