Jordan 1s

The Nike Air Jordan 1 made more than its debut in the basketball shoe market in 1985. It blazed a trail for many more to follow.

Michael Jordan’s NBA rookie year earned him a position on the Chicago Bulls, but it also landed him a $2.5-million-dollar endorsement contract from Nike.

Ironically, Jordan was less than thrilled with the deal. His initial loyalties were to Adidas, so to Jordan, Nike was a step-down…If he only knew what the future had in store, right?

To some, the deal was premature. After all, Jordan was just a rookie who was picked third in the draft. A trip to the NBA playoffs where he scored 63 points against Larry Bird’s Celtics soon put naysayers to rest.

Jordan’s shoe, the Air Jordan, debuted boasting many of Nike’s signature basketball features—compressed air pocket in heel, additional ankle support, and an overlay on the toe. It’s inaugural logo, wings on the shoe’s side, set the bar high for what was to follow in terms of design.

The initial shoe design lacked the technology of many that would follow, but it certainly did not lack the excitement. The shoe’s biggest claim to fame was the controversy that surrounded it. Every time Jordan stepped on the court wearing his black, red, and white sneakers, he was fined $5,000 for violating the uniform policy—a fine that Nike was happy to pay in order to fuel the fire and reap the promotions.