Photo Credit: Nike & Jumpman23

Air Jordan I - The Beginning Of A Legacy

The Air Jordan I (1) was the first set of Air Jordans in the long line of Air Jordans. Released to the general public in 1985, they were first worn by Michael Jordan on November 17 1984 during an NBA game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Michael Jordan was selected by the Chicago Bulls as the third overall draft pick. Michael had a very successful 3-year college career in North Carolina university. He was also the co-captain of the gold-winning Olympic basketball team. Recognizing the potential in Michael Jordan, Nike decided to create a line of sneakers inspired by Michael.

Bold Colors

The Air Jordan I was designed by Peter Moore. At the time, the colors that Peter Moore chose for the Air Jordan I were considered to be bold colors. At first, even Michael Jordan was afraid that the bold colors of the Air Jordan I would make him a joke. He eventually got used to the colors and rest is history.

Banned By The NBA

The colors of the Air Jordan I's were so bold that the NBA banned the Air Jordan I because it did not conform to the NBA's strict color code. Every game that Michael Jordan wore a pair of Air Jordan I's in an NBA game, he was fined US$5000 by the NBA Comissioner. The ban of the Air Jordan I helped create such a buzz that Nike began calling the Air Jordans "The Shoe Banned by the NBA". Nike told Michael to continue wearing the Air Jordans and paid all his fines. They also created some very smart marketing campaigns based around the fact that the Air Jordans were banned by the NBA.

23 Colors Released To The Public

With the Air Jordan I's on his feet, Michael Jordan was named rookie of the year and was selected to play in the All-Star game. Michael's performance on the court made the Air Jordans an instant success. The Air Jordans were so popular that 23 color variations were released to the general public in March, 1985. Every Air Jordan I came with a double set of laces to match the two primary colors of the Air Jordan I.

Legacy of the Air Jordan I's

The Air Jordan I revolutionized the sneaker industry. It was the first shoe to be worn in the NBA with multiple colors. Following the success of the Air Jordan I, many shoe companies began copying the unique style of the Air Jordans. To this day, many counterfeit Air Jordans continue to flood the market.

Air Jordan I In The Media

Air Jordan I Commercial - Banned By The NBA

Retro Air Jordan I Commercial - Air Jordan 1 Low Black