About

Air Jordan 1

Peter Moore designed a shoe in 1985 for a rookie who had won nothing yet. What is most remarkable about the Air Jordan 1 in hindsight is that the entire edifice of Jordan Brand rests on a model made before anyone knew whether the player would be worth it.

The wings on the ankle

The identifying mark sits high on the side: a basketball with wings. That logo appears on no other Nike model and predates the Jumpman, which only later became the face of the line. Anyone who wants to know whether they are looking at a genuine Air Jordan 1 or a predecessor looks at that — on the Air Ship, the model Jordan wore before that, the wings are absent.

The ban story, honestly told

Almost everywhere you read that the NBA banned the Air Jordan 1. That is probably not accurate. The league’s letter about the dress code dates from a period when Jordan was still wearing the Air Ship, because his own model wasn’t ready yet. Nike’s advertising campaign then attached the story to the AJ1, because that was the shoe that needed to be sold. The figure of five thousand dollars per game that is always mentioned was never well documented.

Saved by people who couldn’t play basketball

In the mid-eighties the model fell out of favor and ended up in the clearance bins. There it was picked up by skateboarders, who saw in it something basketball players did not need: a sturdy leather side that withstands rubbing on a board, and a flat sole with enough board feel. That way the shoe outlived its own sport.

Three heights, three shoes

The Air Jordan 1 High is the original form with the wings above the ankle. The Air Jordan 1 Mid sits lower and shifts the emphasis, and the Air Jordan 1 Low leaves the ankle completely free. They are not variations of one another but separate models, each with its own fit and its own price point. One last, three collar heights.

On this page you’ll see which versions of the Air Jordan 1 are hottest right now according to the Hypescore, the starting prices, and how many shops have them in stock.