Return of the Banned

Michael Jordan's first shoe got banned by the NBA.

MJ's black and red Nikes violated the league rule requiring players' footwear to be at least 51% white 🙅‍♂️

Rather than change MJ's shoes, Nike paid the $5,000 fine every game 💸

Jordan Brand now sells $7 billion in footwear and apparel annually—that $5k might be the best money a brand has ever spent.

40 years later, the "Banned" 1s are returning for All-Star Weekend ⭐️

While the Banned 1s re-released in 2016, this 2025 pair is different—it's the closest we've gotten to the 1985 original.

The "Banned" Air Jordan High '85 features a unique shape that mimics the '85 silhouette.

Instead of the usual tumbled leather seen on Jordans, this sneaker features thicker leather that's designed to age beautifully with wear 😍

The midsole tapers in—it's hard to explain, but you'll get it when you see them.

The tongue feels more sturdy and substantial than previous Jordan 1s—they actually melted down an original pair's tongue so a chemist could recreate the nylon compound.

Even the toebox was designed to perfectly match the look of the original 1985 version.

Jordan Brand knows that with retros of this magnitude, the devil is in the details.

Pairs will retail for $250, and word is this super exclusive release will be limited to 10,000 pairs, sold at just 23 confirmed retailers.

Are you gonna try to cop a pair?

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