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Nike Air Ship: the Original Air Jordan 1, Explained

The Air Ship laid the foundation for the Jordan 1, which came out shortly after Nike signed Michael Jordan.

nike air ship sneakersA Ma Manieré

By Evan Malachosky

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When Michael Jordan made his NBA debut on October 26, 1984, the budding basketball legend wore a pair of white and red sneakers. According to Nike, they were the now famous Air Jordan 1, Jordan’s first-ever signature shoe. But they weren’t, and an auction held by Sotheby’s in 2021 proved so. Instead, Jordan wore a pair of shoes dubbed the Nike Air Ship, at least for the first half of the season.

This is because Jordan’s signature shoe, the Air Jordan 1, wasn’t quite ready. Instead, he opted for a Nike model that was already made, but would serve, along with the now famous Air Force 1, which debuted in 1982, as inspiration for Jordan’s eponymous high-top, which debuted in 1985. The Air Ship, for all intents and purposes, was a bridge between the two. But its legacy has been overshadowed by these household names — until now.

Products in the Guide

Nike Air Ship, the Original Air Jordan 1

Why was the Nike Air Ship banned by the NBA?

In February 1985, then-Nike VP Rob Strasser received a letter from the NBA detailing a 360-degree ban on Jordan’s sneakers, which were in violation of the league’s “uniform uniformity rules.” Then, players were required to wear matching sneakers — hence the NBA’s reference to “uniform uniformity.” Jordan’s black-and-red Air Ships were a clear deviation from tamer, less noticeable iterations, like the all-white, tonal gray or red-and-white pairs he also wore during his rookie season. They all met the 51% Rule, which stated all sneakers must be either 51 percent white or 51 percent black.

While Jordan was racking up fines for his shoes, Nike designers were hard at work readying his signature shoe, the Air Jordan 1, which was allegedly still in production when the season started. During the Summer Olympics, which were held in the summer before his rookie season, Jordan wore Adidas sneakers, a brand he heavily weighed signing with before ultimately choosing Nike. (That’s the subject of the 2023 movie Air, starring Jason Bateman as Strasser, Ben Affleck as Phil Knight and Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro.)

chicago bulls v milwaukee bucks
Here’s Jordan, in 1984, in what are clearly Nike Air Shops, not Jordan 1s.
Focus on Sport

How Nike Rewrote History

When did the Jordan 1 first come out?

Once Jordan officially signed with Nike, his signature shoe was officially underway. It took months to perfect, though, given it was a new silhouette although it did steal parts from earlier Nike Releases (like the Air Force 1 and Air Ship). The Jordan 1 officially debuted on court on November 17th, 1984, in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. After that, Jordan shelved them in favor of the Air Ships until at least until December 20th, when he wore them again — and then in every game moving forward.

These pairs were compliant with the NBA’s uniform rules, though, which confirms it was the Air Ship that was banned after all, despite Nike’s famous ad saying otherwise.

The Jordan brand took off because of this ad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch

That’s the aforementioned ad. It’s how Nike, which had been plotting a signature shoe since Jordan entered the league, debuted its most famous silhouette. (This is up for debate, sure, but it’s big.) They convinced customers that this was the shoe the NBA had banned, despite photo evidence that proved otherwise. It was fitting fodder for Jordan’s story, which was spreading, even beyond core NBA fans.

The “banned” ad imbued Jordan 1s with a rebellious spirit — something to be coveted, especially since an authority said you couldn’t have it. When they launched in the spring of 1985, they were an instant hit, but they reached new heights in 1994, when Nike reissued them in two colorways: Chicago and Bred. This was shortly after Jordan retired (for the first time), and the re-release offered NBA (and non-NBA) fans a final opportunity to buy these (in)famous high-tops.

Where Is the Nike Air Ship Now?

Jordan finally acknowledged the Air Ship.

In 2014, the Jordan brand tweeted a photo of Jordan wearing a white-and-red Nike Air Ship, with the caption: “One small step for MJ. One giant leap for the game.” As for whether this was accidental, almost everyone agreed: no. This was an obvious teaser that retro Air Ships were on the way.

But then nothing came. Fans waited and waited and waited… for nothing.

nike air ship
A Ma Manieré made its own version in 2022, to widespread acclaim.
A Ma Manieré

The first reissue was in 2020. There have been more since.

Finally, in 2020, Nike dropped the Air Ship New Beginnings, which retailed for $350. It was a part of a special tribute package to the GOAT and his decorated career. Then, they re-did the Banned version. Subsequent retros include the A Ma Maniré Air Ship PE SP, a limited collab, and several general release colorways (Tech Grey, Pine Green, University Gold and Team Orange).

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Jordan 1 OG Chicago

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Jordan 1 Retro Chicago

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