Whether you are a fan of Nike shoes or not, you may have known that these renowned Jordans Air 1 of this brand banned in the NBA, right? But do you know exactly why the NBA did that? If you are not sure about the answer, we will reveal to you the Story of why Jordans are banned from the NBA.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan took to the court the black-and-red Nike shoes
Some information about Air Jordans
First, you need to know about Jordans shoes’ history. Air Jordans is a well-known brand of Nike. It was named after Michael Jeffrey Jordan – a legend of the NBA in the 1980s and 1990s.
The “Air Jordan” was his nickname after he performed free throw line in Slam Dunk Contests. It was also the first shoes with Jordans’ signature.
What to know about Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is the one who made this Nike shoes’ brand to become famous all over the world. He started to play for the Chicago Bulls in 1984. After that, he had joined 15 seasons in the NBA before he retired.
Some called him or the greatest basketball player of all time because of his six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Now, Michael Jordan is the chairman of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA.
Why Air Jordan was banned?
Although the American National Basketball Association (NBA) has prohibited many accessories and several different types of sneakers, the most famous story of banned gear was definitely about Air Jordan 1.
It was in 1984 when Michael Jeffrey Jordan was a rookie of the Chicago Bulls. Instead of wearing white and red sneakers like other players, he chose another way.
Michael Jordan defiantly took to the court a pair of black-and-red in a preseason game at Madison Square Garden. Explaining this disobedience, Jordan said: “It’s like a young kid when your parents say you can’t do something, you want to do it.”
His action was against the league’s uniform code. According to NBA policy, each player ”must wear shoes that not only go along with their uniforms but also matched the shoes worn by their teammates.”
As a result, the league instantly banned Air Jordan from regular-season use. They also had a “51 percent rule” about shoes’ colors after that.
This story was once a renowned marketing lore. Many claimed that the shoes “brought color to the game”. Russ Granik, the executive vice president of the NBA at that time, even sent a stern letter to Nike in 1985. This letter is currently exhibited in the Michael Jordan Building on the Nike Campus in Beaverton, Oregon.
Nike has often said that Jordan was penalized a large amount of money – $5,000 per game for donning the Air Jordan 1 on the court. This company willingly paid that fine for him. However, Michael Jordan never wore these shoes on an official game.
The Air Jordan line also grew more with the fame of Jordan when he dominated the Hall of Fame. In more than 30 years, this brand has brought Nike a profit of more than $2.3 billion each year.
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