The Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan Statue Has Had Its Air Jordan Sneakers Censored
Michael Jordan’s sneakers have been banned in his own arena.
The Chicago Bulls revealed an addition to its Jordan statue Monday evening, as black boxes censor the sneakers in promotion of the forthcoming Air Jordan 1 High “Bred” release. Surrounding the revised statue is the new tagline, “If it was just as shoe, why did they try to ban it?”
More from Footwear News
2025 marks the 40th anniversary for the Air Jordan 1.
Jordan Brand’s marketing continues the myth of the Air Jordan 1 being banned by the NBA. According to the legend, the black and red (i.e. “Bred”) Air Jordan 1s were banned by the league during Jordan’s rookie season. In reality, it was the Nike Air Ship in the same colors that drew fines from the league prior to his own sneaker being ready to wear, and Jordan never actually wore the AJ1 Bred in an NBA game.
The only time Jordan did wear the shoe, which is releasing in February in extremely limited quantities and a build more faithful to the original than ever before, was during the 1985 NBA Dunk Contest.
It’s also worth noting that Jordan’s statue has him wearing the Air Jordan 9 rather than the Air Jordan 1 — not that you’d know either way now that his feet have been censored.
Nike famously began using the “banned” narrative from the very beginning of marketing the Air Jordan 1, and a 2011 retro of the “Bred” colorway featured an “X” on the heel to represent the story.
The Air Jordan 1 High “Bred” will release February 14 excessively through 23 local retailers in the U.S. Pricing is set at $250, denoting the higher quality than usual, and rumor has it only 10,000 pairs have been made.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
Best of Footwear News
Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
