The Other ‘Space Jam’ Air Jordans Are Finally Making a Comeback

And this might be your only chance to own them for at least another decade.Everett CollectionIt’s the 30th anniversary of Space Jam. There’s no need for us to waste our time arguing over whether the movie is any good or not—if you were 12 or under when it first hit in 1996, you probably love it. If you weren’t, you probably don’t. What there’s no need to debate is that Michael Jordan wore some excellent sneakers in the Looney Tunes team-up flick. And while most sneakerheads tend to associate the movie with the fabled Air Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam,’ in all its glossy black glory, there actually was another, just-as-desirable pair of Js worn by MJ in an early scene: The Air Jordan 9 ‘Space Jam.’The Air Jordan 9 holds the distinction of the first silhouette that Jordan didn’t wear while playing for the Chicago Bulls. His first retirement—the baseball one—coincided with the model’s release, meaning we initially had to settle for simply seeing him rock a cleated version in the minor leagues. So when the GOAT laced the 9s up onscreen in Space Jam, it marked the first time he’d publicly hooped in the shoe. In its original release, the AJ9 only received four colorways, three of which have largely faded from the memory of most sneakerheads. All things considered, there’s just one OG Air Jordan 9: the black-and-white iteration featured in the film.The Air Jordan 9 OG, designed by Tinker Hatfield, at first glance bears closer resemblance to a Nike ACG hiking boot than a basketball shoe. The high-top silhouette features leather uppers with dimpled panels running across the sidewalls, with the notable accent of a mudguard in a contrasting color striped around the shoe. (Hatfield would later revisit this design flourish on the aforementioned Air Jordan 11.) The original colorway keeps things simple with white leather and a black mudguard, alongside a black sockliner, sole, and a red Jumpman logo on the outside of the heel.Despite the perceived oversaturation of retro releases in the sneaker world, Jordan Brand has remained very diligent with their Space Jam kicks. The Air Jordan 9 ‘Space Jam’ tends to only re-release for major anniversaries—they were last seen in 2016 for the film’s 20th—so set your alarms accordingly, because these likely won’t be back for a decade. The Air Jordan 9 ‘Space Jam’ drops on September 19 for $215 via Nike, Foot Locker, and select retailers.Sign up for Show Notes to get news on the latest runway shows, parties, and insider events on the international fashion circuit.Tres Dean is a contributing writer for GQ specializing in sports, fashion, and the intersections between the two (which most often means covering sneakers). Outside of the going-ons of the sneaker world, he’s profiled athletes like Zion Williamson, defended the valor of reviled directors, and interviewed Travis Scott from the ... Read More