It’s Gotta be the Shoes: Air Jordans Turned the Whole World into a Court

25 years ago, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls secured their sixth championship and capped off one of the most impressive runs in NBA history. To celebrate, Upper Deck has put together a collection of unique memorabilia commemorating the unforgettable season and Jordan’s career.

The year is 1984 and a 21-year-old kid from Wilmington, North Carolina is about to turn the world of basketball – and fashion – on its head by what he wears on his feet.

Before Michael Jordan set foot on an NBA floor, he signed a shoe deal with Nike. It would eventually propel him from being a basketball star to a global icon. But on October 18, 1984, Michael is just a rookie and the leather strapped to his feet is drawing eyes as much as his talent.

He’s wearing the Nike Air Ship, the first in what will become a legendary line of kicks. While most sneakers squeaking up and down the floor come in just a handful of similar styles, the Air Ship is unique. It has a high cut, a premium feel, air cushions, and a winged logo that shows you’re ready to fly.

But more than any of that, it’s bold: it’s black and red – Bulls colors – in a sea of white sneakers.

Nike paid a heavy price to make that happen: The company shelled out $5,000 per game for Jordan to wear the kicks that violated the NBA’s policy that required shoes to be 51% white, which was well worth it. In the first year alone, Nike sold $130 million of the Jordan sneakers.

Most people think it was the Jordan 1s that racked up the fines, but the Air Ships were the initial culprit. We’ve recaptured the magic of these iconic kicks with the Air Jordan “New Beginnings Pack.” It’s one of many autographed sets of sneakers we’re launching to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Jordan’s final championship.

Michael Jordan Autographed Nike Air Jordan New Beginnings Pair 1

Michael Jordan Autographed Nike Air Jordan New Beginnings Pair 2

Then came the Air Jordan 1s. They did something no other basketball shoe had done up to that point: they became an everyday shoe. They became streetwear.

They look great in more than just red and black, too. Upper Deck Authenticated has released a very special autographed Off-White Air Jordan 1 in Tarheel blue, limited to 10. You can see the soles not just on the hardwood, but on the sidewalk, too.

Michael Jordan Autographed Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High Off-White "UNC" Shoes

There was something special about Jordans: it started with who was wearing it, but it extended beyond that. The shoes had unmistakable style, a look that drew the eye and held it there.

It wasn’t uncommon for people to buy tennis shoes or running shoes to wear during their day-to-day activities, but basketball shoes? Those were just for basketball, until Air Jordan 1s turned the whole world into a court. The above average price tag didn’t prove to be an obstacle, people found a way to get ahold of these sought after shoes. They would line- up for hours and empty the store shelves.

The Jordan 1s represented the birth of sneakerhead culture.

By 1988, Nike dropped the Jordan 3s. They introduced the world to the Jumpman logo, a silhouette of Jordan soaring through the air. The Jumpman logo has moved well past being on the tongue of a shoe and is now among the most recognizable logos in the world. You can relive the magic of the Jordan 3s with the Air Jordan 3 Retro "SE Unite Fire Red.”

Just about every pair of Jordans has an iconic memory attached to them, because Michael just kept making moments.

Look at his feet as he leaps into the air celebrate after sinking The Shot in Cleveland and you’ll see the Jordan 4. The Jordan 10s celebrated every moment Michael produced before his first retirement.

Then there was the Jordan 11s, which brought him back to the court. These shoes got hit with a familiar $5,000 fine for breaking league rules. Upper Deck Authenticated captured these kicks with the autographed Air Jordan 11 Retro Concords, limited to 45, originally released in 2018. Stamped with a 45 on the back, the jersey number Jordan wore upon his return, these shoes look even better with Jordan’s signature on them.

Michael Jordan Autographed Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Concord

Michael Jordan Autographed Nike Air Jordan 12 Retro Flu Game

Sporting the Jordan 12s, Michael rained down 38 points on the Utah Jazz despite ailing from an illness that nearly knocked him out of the game. That game will live on forever as “the Flu Game,” and those shoes live on with our autographed Air Jordan 12 Retro “Flu Game” in Bulls red and black.

Every single pair of Jordans tells a story, including the ones on collectors’ shelves or the ones on your feet. Lace them up and keep the story going.

To shop the MJ 25th anniversary collection, including many of these iconic shoes, visit the UpperDeckStore.com .