For decades purists have been demanding that we acknowledge the Nike Air Ship as the true sneaker that was ‘banned’ by the NBA, not the Black/Red Air Jordan 1. Of course, Nike strategically positioned the AJ1 as the banned shoe and the rest is history. For over three decades, Jordan Brand didn’t mention the Air Ship, and honestly, why would they? The AJ1 has grown to become arguably the most iconic sneaker of all time and it’s bigger in 2022 than it’s ever been. But if there is one thing Jordan Brand knows, it’s the power of storytelling, and there is no doubt that the Air Ship has a story.
In 2020, we saw the brand finally acknowledge the 1980s hoop silhouette and even dropped two special edition colorways with the New Beginnings PE and the Air Ship Pro “Banned.” Both were extremely limited and felt like they were designed to be collector items for the aforementioned purists. That was until a mystery package showed up today from Beaverton, OR. Included inside was a poster of MJ during his rookie season wearing his Air Ship PE colorway and a booklet detailing the overlooked history and significance of the Air Ship in MJ’s journey. Included in the 10-page booklet are an acknowledgment of the Air Ship being the true banned sneaker, a reminder that it was the first shoe MJ wore as a pro, and a statement declaring “While wearing the Air Ship, Michael Jordan proved himself and began his legacy.”
No official release information is available but it looks a lot like more Air Ship colorways are on the way. See a full look at the booklet on our TikTok or Instagram.
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