Double Tap to Zoom
Backdoor Bottega
1 / 10

The sneakers Michael Jordan wore in his first few games with the Chicago Bulls are finally set to be released after roughly 36 years. Italian retailer Backdoor Bottega is scheduled to launch the Air Ship Pro this Saturday, August 1.

Jordan laced up the Nike Air Ship Pro at the beginning of the 1984-85 season, prior to wearing the Air Jordan 1. He was infamously forbidden from wearing the former because the colorway did not align with NBA standards at that time. This ultimately led to a $5,000 fine for each game MJ donned the Air Ship.

The sneaker featured the upper of the Nike Air Ship and the midsole of the Nike Pro Circuit tennis shoe, as the midsole of the normal Air Ship was both too heavy and too high for Jordan's liking. It was never made available for purchase — until now — 36 years later.

"All I can say, speaking as a collector and big fan of Michael Jordan, is that I am really proud and excited for the choice of the Jordan Brand to give me and my store Backdoor Bottega the exclusive premiere of this masterpiece," said Marco Evangelisti, Backdoor Bottega founder.

The Jordan Air Ship Pro will be available via an in-store raffle on August 1, followed by a global raffle on August 3. Visit Backdoor Bottega for more details.

To stay updated on everything happening in the sneaker world, follow @Highsnobietysneakers on Instagram, check our sneaker release date calendar, and subscribe to our sneaker chatbot on Facebook to receive lightning quick updates to your inbox.

We Recommend
  • Nike Makes (Another) Point For the Luscious Brown Everyday Sneaker
  • Nike’s Brightest Air Max Skate Sneaker Knows (Tennis) Ball
  • Nike’s Leather Paisley Air Max Is Laser-Sharp
  • Nike’s Eccentric Mesh Slip-On Has Zero Interest In Fitting In
  • Jordan's Razor-Sharp New Sneaker Mastered Every Angle (EXCLUSIVE)
What To Read Next
  • Nike Makes (Another) Point For the Luscious Brown Everyday Sneaker
  • One Good Clog That's Not a Boston
  • New Balance's Brand New Baby Blue Loafer Is Summer Fridays as a Shoe
  • Smart Glasses Are Getting Swaggy
  • Bad Bunny's Beautiful Red adidas Sneaker Feels Like Summer
  • Over Being Flat, adidas’ Tokyo Sneaker Becomes a Thicc Runner