Jordan Brand is establishing its presence in the NBA playoffs. As Air Jordan approaches almost 40 years in the game, the shoe brand is debuting an all-new silhouette, the Air Jordan 39. Jordan Brand enlisted Orlando Magic‘s rising star forward Paolo Banchero to debut the highly anticipated basketball shoe. He wore it in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In being chosen to debut the shoe, Banchero said in a statement, “It’s a privilege to represent the Jordan legacy by sporting the Air Jordan 39s for our inaugural playoff series. MJ’s legacy shines brightest in the playoffs, and unveiling the 39’s in this setting is truly special for me.” Jordan Brand describes the Air Jordan 39s as a nod to Michael Jordan‘s unique style of playing on the court.
The Air Jordan 39 aims to signify his distinctive impact on the court and empower athletes through cutting-edge technology that fosters agility and quick direction changes. Meant to amplify speed and directional shifts, the shoe is constructed with great attention to detail, using a full-length Nike ZoomX foam. The new sole is expected to deliver an impressive 85% energy return as well as better responsiveness. The shoe also includes a herringbone traction pattern also to enhance speed and control. It takes design notes from the Air Jordan 9 and is expected to arrive in nine specific colorways, excluding Player and Regional Exclusives. At the moment Banchero had debuted the “SOL” colorway, which is an all-white design paying homage to MJ’s legendary career.
Other colorways include the “LUMIÈRE” which is a sleek black and white color scheme inspired by the night lights of Paris, “UNIVERSITY” arrives in a light blue to commemorate MJ’s college legacy, “CROIX” in a similar black and white reminiscent of the AJ9, “BARON” — a neutral tri-color scheme as a nod to MJ’s baseball days, “GUO PE” is in a seafoam green and is Guoa Ailun’s exclusive iteration that is meant to symbolize luck and abundance, “HERITAGE” comes in a vibrant red to give MJ his flowers for his Chicago Bulls career, and lastly, “STYLE” as a nod to MJ’s unique ’90s style.
The Air Jordan 39 “SOL” is set to arrive on July 23, 2024 at select retailers and Nike for $200 USD.
