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How good is the Air Jordan 1 Mid? It’s a subject of heated debate in the sneaker community. Some sneakerheads hate the Mid with a passion. Others will cop them if the colorway and materials are right. Which one are you? Which one is Chris? Find out in our video about the oft-maligned but historically relevant Jordan 1 Mid.
Today, Chris reviews the Jordan Air Cadence, a new running-inspired lifestyle shoe from Jordan Brand. Can Jordan Brand finally hit on one of its lifestyle silhouettes? Let’s find out.
The Air Jordan 3 SE Denim keeps our week of the Jordan 3 (patent pending) rolling with the third Jordan 3 of the week (a new record!). This particular shoe has two versions, a Nike Air version and a Japanese exclusive. See what Chris thinks about them by watching the video above.
The Air Jordan 3 Laser Orange is a women’s exclusive release that Jordan Brand kept simple. Jordan took the Air Jordan 3 OG Cement color blocking, took away the black paint, and added the orange/yellow paint instead. The result? One clean colorway.
The Air Jordan 3 Varsity Royal Cement is essentially a color swapped version of the Air Jordan 3 SE Unite that released during NBA Allstar Weekend 2020. The branding on the heel tab is different as “Nike Air” does not appear this time around. That can often mean the materials used are different, but this time, Jordan delivered a really
Better late than never, and by audience request, we’ve finally got our hands on the Air Jordan 12 University Gold for a detailed look and review. This version of the Jordan 12 is based on a player exclusive (PE) Gary Payton wore when he played for the LA Lakers as part of the first NBA super team.
The Jordan React Elevation is a (very) under the radar Jordan Brand performance basketball shoe that recently began appearing at various retailers. WearTesters team member Jalique Gabay was able to purchase a pair and has them in hand for a detailed look and review.
The much anticipated Air Jordan 34 Low is now available. Does it continue the performance legacy of the Air Jordan 34 and the Air Jordan 34 SE? You’ll have to watch Chris’ detailed look and review to find out. Nowadays, a lot of basketball players prefer low tops. The late Kobe Bryant changed the way many people thought about low
The Jordan Westbrook One Take asks the sneaker world a very interesting question. Can a take down model be better than the signature shoe it’s based on? That’s right, Russell Westbrook has officially joined the ranks of players with multiple sneaker models in his signature line. And the two models are really similar. We don’t know how close they play
Long before the Jordan Jumpman Diamond, Team Jumpman models were considered a thing of the past. Not anymore. Over the past year or so, Jordan Brand has been coming up with budget-friendly models that do more than just sit on shelves, they perform. The traction of the Jordan Jumpman Diamond Low is interesting. It utilizes a multidirectional diamond and herringbone
Can Jordan Brand once again produce a top performer following the praise of the CP3.12? Jalique Gabay is here to provide his perspective on the Jordan Zoom Zero Gravity. BAM! That’s what looks like should’ve been slapped in the middle of this traction pattern. Actually, a “SNIKT!” might’ve been even more fitting, simply for the way the Zero Gravity cut
The Nike Vis Zoom Uptempo’s long lost cousin has been found. Here is my Jordan Supreme Elevation performance review.
It’s crazy to think that the Jordan Brand almost didn’t happen. Can you imagine Michel Jordan rocking Adidas? If had been up to MJ at the time, that’s what would have happened.
When the GOAT was entering the league and fielding sponsorship offers, Nike was pretty low on his list. At the time, Nike was a struggling running shoe brand on the mend, concentrated on reinventing itself as a company for sports superstars.
Jordan really wanted to sign with Adidas, but the German sneaker brand wasn’t able to put together an offer as the company was undergoing a leadership shift at the time.
Converse also tried to bring MJ on board. Mike had rocked Converse in college playing for UNC (University of North Carolina) and was already familiar with the brand and what it brought to the table. But Converse already had several NBA superstars signed and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were the faces of the brand. Converse made an offer, but apparently Michel wasn’t impressed and felt he would be just another basketball player on their already stellar roster of sponsored athletes.
Still, Michel wasn’t sure about signing with Nike. Even after Nike offered MJ $500,000 a year for five years, Jordan took the offer to Adidas and to see if the brand could get “anywhere close” to the offer. But Adidas turned him down. Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s still crazy to think Adidas passed on Mike.
Nike became Jordan’s best option by default and it ended up being a match made in heaven. Nike wanted to build an entire “brand inside the brand” around Jordan and his superhuman ability to dunk.
The Air Jordan I was released in April of 1985 and they were an instant hit. By May, Nike had sold $70 million worth of the shoes. INSANE. By the end of the year, Air Jordan had made Nike more than $100 million. Phil Knight, Nike’s co-founder, summed up the success of the Air Jordan 1’s as “the perfect combination of quality product, marketing, and athlete endorsement.”
