{"id":80510,"date":"2023-01-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/?p=80510"},"modified":"2023-01-18T17:42:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-18T09:42:00","slug":"unc-blue-air-jordan-michael-jordan-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snkrdunk.com\/en\/magazine\/2023\/01\/18\/unc-blue-air-jordan-michael-jordan-history\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s a Blue World without UNC\u2014The Story Behind the Iconic Colorway"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Anton Karve<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michael Jordan has never been quiet about his love for his alma mater, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In his own words<\/a>, \u201cI never thought I\u2019d be able to play at a Division I school\u2026 It really shocked me when North Carolina started recruiting me.\u201d <\/span>He\u2019s made his gratitude to the institution clear time and time again, and many would argue hat at this point he has helped UNC even more than the school helped him. From regular returns to university grounds to advising, and even assisting the management of UNC\u2019s NCAA basketball team, it\u2019s clear that Jordan holds a deep appreciation for his blue UNC jersey, and this appreciation comes out regularly in Jordan Brand\u2019s many offerings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though the \u201cUNC Blue\u201d colorway isn\u2019t quite as iconic as its \u201cChicago\u201d and \u201cBred\u201d siblings, it shares just as much history as any OG Jordan colorway out there. The white and blue color palette has followed Jordan throughout his career, with no sign of stopping even years after his retirement. With two new \u201cUNC\u201d Jordans set to drop during the Spring\/Summer 2023 season, we felt it apt to take a trip back through time to see how \u201cUNC\u201d cemented itself as one of sneaker history\u2019s classic colorways.<\/span><\/p>\n

The One that Started it All: Air Jordan 1 OG \u201cUNC\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Michael1984 almost represents a singularity in Jordan\u2019s career. It was the year when the Chicago Bulls kickstarted MJ\u2019s trajectory into basketball stardom, as well as the year that the most lucrative endorsement in sneaker history – the powerhouse of Nike Air Jordan – was born. Not such a bad time after all, eh, Mr. Orwell?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MichaelIn 1985, just a year after Nike signed Jordan, a whopping 15 Air Jordan 1 colorways sprang into existence. Among them were the aforementioned \u201cChicago\u201d and \u201cBred\u201d, as well as other well-loved colorways such as the \u201cBlack Toe\u201d, \u201cRoyal\u201d, \u201cShadow\u201d, and of course, \u201cUNC\u201d. Though Jordan never wore the OG AJ1 \u201cUNC\u201d on-court\u2014that privilege was reserved for the AJ1 \u201cChicago\u201d\u2014the blue-and-white colorway was highly sought after all the same. And so began the periodic rise and fall of AJ1s, eventually leading to \u201cUNC\u201d, along with most of the other OG colorways, ending up on countless sneaker grails. <\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of which, check out the story of the \u201cChicago\u201d colorway<\/a> for a deeper dive into the tumultuous history of the Air Jordan 1.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MichaelIn more recent history, Jordan brand dropped a 2015 retro of the Air Jordan 1 \u201cUNC\u201d to celebrate a massively successful 30 years of Air Jordan. The retro (right), releasing to widespread hype, stayed true to the original release (left), with the only changes being minor updates to the Air Jordan 1 silhouette. This retro was a crowd-pleaser for Air Jordan purists and newer audiences alike, for who wouldn\u2019t enjoy a faithful recreation of a timeless classic?<\/span><\/p>\n

Struck Out: Air Jordan 10 \u201cPowder Blue\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"MichaelMJ\u2019s accomplishments within a decade of his signing to the Bulls were enormous. By 1994, he had practically established himself as the GOAT of the basketball world, and was clearly looking for a change in scenery. That same year, he signed to the Birmingham Barons, which surprised people not just because he was changing teams, but rather because he was changing sports altogether. Jordan\u2019s tenure in professional baseball was a short yet important segment of his career, for it demonstrated his passion for sport, willingness to explore new fields, and undying work ethic. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/span>Some fans dismissed Jordan\u2019s stint in the Barons, putting it down to an off-handed decision that allowed him to take a break from basketball. However, doing so also dismissed the genuine drive that Jordan had to excel in baseball. Take it from the team\u2019s manager, Terry Francona<\/a>, \u201cHe had it all, ability, aptitude, work ethic\u2026 with another 1,000 at-bats, he would\u2019ve made it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The star\u2019s commitment to his new sport was reflected in the corresponding change in the Air Jordan line-up. Designer Tinker Hatfield, believing that MJ had genuinely left basketball for good, listed an accomplishment for each of MJ’s 10 years in the NBA on the Air Jordan 10\u2019s outsole, ending with “\u201894 – Beyond” that alluded to a life and career beyond basketball. Even the name of the colorway itself, \u201cPowder Blue\u201d, signified the athlete\u2019s new start on the powder baseball diamond rather than the hardwood basketball court. The \u201cNorth Carolina Blue\u201d elements were more subtle on this pair, showing up along the highlights, inner lining and outsole of the Air Jordan X.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MichaelJordan\u2019s career in baseball ended just as abruptly as it began, with a rather ironic impact of rekindling his love for basketball. Just like that, Michael Jordan was back in the NBA, bringing Air Jordans and the \u201cUNC\u201d colorway along with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MichaelTwo decades after MJ\u2019s dramatic 1994 career change, Jordan Brand released a 2014 retro of the Air Jordan X \u201cPowder Blue\u201d. This release perfectly recreated the original design, bringing back a relic of a year that shocked the sporting world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Images via MLB<\/a>, Baseball Hall of<\/a><\/em> Fame<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

All-Star Kicks: Air Jordan 11 \u201cColumbia\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Michael<\/span>The year was 1996, and Jordan was back to racking up MVP titles in the NBA\u2014balance had been restored to the universe. As if nothing had happened in the two years before, Nike and Jordan Brand had continued onto the next iteration, the Air Jordan 11. This futuristic silhouette, which rocked a mix of matte and patent leather, dropped in three colorways. Among them, the \u201cColumbia\u201d was the only one that strayed from the Bulls color scheme, continuing a long legacy of paying respects to Jordan\u2019s collegiate beginnings through the UNC color palette.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, the Air Jordan 11 \u201cColumbia\u201d is one of the few UNC-themed Air Jordans that the man himself actually wore on-court. Of course, he did this not during a Bulls game (that would be blasphemy), but rather while playing for the Eastern Conference in the 1996 NBA All-Star Game. The \u201cColumbia\u201d colorway\u2019s UNC-blue accents paired up perfectly with the Eastern team\u2019s light blue jersey, and together with his Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen, as well as stars such as Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Jordan went on to win the game and receive the MVP award.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/span>The AJ11 \u201cColumbia\u201d is also famous for another international television appearance, not in basketball, but in comedy. In May 1996, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” aired its emotional, bittersweet finale episode to close off a legendary six season run, and Will Smith can be seen rocking \u201cColumbia\u201ds in the final scene. <\/span>So fresh.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n