The Jordan Brand lineage is full of colorways that have created a legacy through making appearances across several Jordan models.
The Bred colorway- or when a Jordan sneaker is dressed in primarily in black & red- is perhaps the colorway that often comes to mind when thinking about Jordans. In fact, it is the most iconic one for a reason. Other original colorways, like that of the Grape, have seen reintroductions throughout Jordan Brands almost 40 year run.
When it comes to non-original colorways, though, the Cool Grey line is among the favorite for Jordan heads. But where did the Cool Grey line come from? With a catalog as robust as Jordan Brands, how has it sustained such rapport with the Jordan audience?
Jordan Brand was in an odd spot when the first Cool Grey sneaker released in 2001. The NBA, itself, was in a weird place as well- as it struggled to sustain the ratings it so fruitfully enjoyed during Michael Jordan’s prime. The game of basketball, and the world of performance basketball sneakers, needed a new figure head. As Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant’s careers began to blossom, so did their star power. The next generation was looking to make an impact on the court, but their star power was not felt in the world of performance sneakers, not yet at least. There simply was not a leader in the pact, when it came to promoting and selling their signature sneakers to the degree Jordan had.
Gentry Humphrey played a massive role in the success and rise of Jordan Brand in various roles within the company. One of those being the mastermind behind the shoe that would help refocus the path of the Air Jordan line. The Air Max 95 was enjoying a moment of popularity, and Gentry decided that would be the grounds of inspiration for the next big Jordan sneaker.
“I woke up early one morning and wanted to do an Air Jordan 11 version of the Air Max 95 but twist it up to make it right for the basketball consumer,” recounted Humphrey in a 2017 retrospective with Nike. The design of the upper on the Jordan 11 felt just as playful of a canvas as the one of the 95. For sneaker heads, the nickname of the shoe is just as important as the design, technology, and color blocking of the shoe. Which makes it almost funny that one of the most important shoes in the Jordan linage was simply named after the shade of Grey used on the sneaker. For a moment, the sneaker was simply dubbed the shades of grey before ultimately being officially named the Cool Grey Air Jordan 11.
Thus, an icon was born. The 2001 Cool Grey’s quickly took the sneaker world by storm. When Michael Jordan returned to the court for the 2001-2002 season, the Cool Grey 11s quickly became one of his on the court favorites. The line quickly expanded- as that following year the Cool Grey Air Jordan 9 was introduced. From the nubuck upper to the patent leather overlays to the a translucent outsole, the Cool Grey 9 was essentially a carbon copy.
The Cool Grey 11 & 9 were some of Jordan’s favorite sneakers from his tenure with the Wizards. Since his final retirement, though, the line has continued. It has sustained such popularity, simply, through Jordan Brand’s use of the now iconic colorway on fan favorite models. Despite the mimicking nature of the 9, every other Cool Grey retro since has featured a quirk that makes it unique. Be it the subtle use of yellow on the 4 or the orange accents on the 12- each new Cool Grey retro has been able to stand on it’s own.
This March, the Cool Grey 9 makes a return. This will be the third time the sneaker releases, the first since it’s retro in 2012. The 2025 retro retains all the familiar details of it’s 2002 original- including the “one-pull” lacing system, the jagged midsole and a matching Cool Grey-tinted outsole.
From revitalizing the line in 2001, to putting a new twist on the most classic of Jordan silhouettes, the Cool Grey line enjoys a lineage of great importance in the world of sneakers.
The Cool Grey Air Jordan 9s return on March 15th via NIKE and their retail partners.
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