Get Up Close With Michael Jordan's Banned Nike Air Ship

Contrary to popular belief, the shoe that Michael Jordan wore that was banned by the NBA in 1984 wasn't the Air Jordan 1, in fact, it was the Nike Air Ship. A silhouette that Nike gave MJ while the AJ1 was still being worked on, it unexpectedly made headlines back in the day when the National Basketball Association fined the Bulls legend for wearing a black and red pair, in a time when on-court shoes were required to have a white base. Now, 35 years later, we're getting up close and personal with the OG pair thanks to Goodwin Sports!

Worn by Jordan during his rookie days, the Air Ship is painted in a black and red palette - a colourway that later on became the legendary "Bred". Crafted from leather, this pair is still in incredible condition considering it's almost four decades old. In fact, you can still see the single line of stitching that glides across the side panels and the "AIR JORDAN" branding that's printed across the heel.

According to then-Nike Creative Director Peter Moore, the Beaverton brand might have "only made 25 pairs" of the Nike Air Ship, so it's safe to say that they're incredibly rare. Take a closer look at the OG pair above, and while you're here, we can't believe these 10 red hot Air Jordans are still available!