
via Imago
Michael Jordan during Michael Jordan Hosts 2005 Jordan Classic Dinner – April 14, 2005 in New York, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

via Imago
Michael Jordan during Michael Jordan Hosts 2005 Jordan Classic Dinner – April 14, 2005 in New York, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
NBA all-time great Michael Jordan is one of the most popular athletes ever. With his displays on and off the court, he popularised the game around the world. He was the face of the NBA ever since he joined the Chicago Bulls. Jordan influenced the game of basketball in so many ways. Millions of fans around the world adored him. MJ necessarily changed the sneaker culture in the country as well. And he built a business empire with his success on the court.
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When Jordan joined the league, Nike was relatively new. Most superstars endorsed Converse or Adidas. During his time with the North Carolina Tar Heels, MJ often sported Converse. After joining the league, he received offers from every brand and he was ready to sign with Adidas. So he did not even want to have a meeting with Nike executives.
However, his mother, Deloris Jordan, insisted he hears out the offer made by Nike. So he obliged and sat down with Nike executives. MJ was impressed with the designs and liked the idea of signature shoes. So he signed with Nike. But not many thought their relationship would change the sneaker game forever.
Michael Jordan revealed his favorite Air Jordans
The relationship between Michael Jordan and Nike grew as they helped each other grow astronomically. Over the years, MJ has helped Nike make billions while Nike helped him with his image through their marketing strategies. Every kid in the country wanted a pair of Air Jordans and still does. In 2013, during an interview for 2K before the release of 2K14, he was asked to pick his favorite kicks. And Jordan compared them to his children.
“My favorite? Yeah, that’s hard you know. Because you know it’s like saying ‘Which one of your kids you like the most?’,” the Bulls legend replied.
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However, he still gave away some of his favorite models. He disclosed, “XIs are my favorite. IIIs are my next favorite and probably XII or XIII comes in third.”
WATCH THIS STORY – How Many Gold Medals Does Michael Jordan Have in the Olympics?
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Even though he has been retired for around twenty years now, his popularity is still huge thanks to The Last Dance docuseries. Also, with new colorways released every year, the brand has been making huge profits for Nike. As per reports, the Air Jordan brand made $5 billion in annual revenue in the recent fiscal year. And it looks like there is no stopping.
Which is your favorite Air Jordan sneaker? Let us know in the comments.
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