Michael Jordan's Banned Nike Air Ship Set To Return: First Look

BYAlexander Cole8.6K Views
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Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan's real banned sneaker is about to make a massive comeback.

Contrary to popular belief, Michael Jordan did not wear the Air Jordan 1 during his first few months in the NBA. Instead, he wore the Nike Air Ship until his Air Jordan 1 was ready to be played with in an actual game. This is why when people think of the "banned" MJ sneaker, they immediately jump to the Air Jordan 1 "Bred." However, this shoe was only given the banned name for marketing purposes. In fact, it was the black and red Nike Air Ship that was the real culprit.

While this shoe hasn't been in circulation since the 80s, it made a brief comeback during All-Star weekend as a white and red colorway released alongside a similar-looking Air Jordan 1 High '85 offering. Now, according to the sneaker boutique Back Door Bottega, the Black and Red and Nike Air Ship is set to release for the first time in years, on August 7th. For now, it seems like the release is exclusive to this particular boutique, while little information exists when it comes to whether or not these will see a wider release.

Stay tuned for updates on this Nike Air Ship as we will be sure to bring you all of the latest information.


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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