“Before Michael Jordan, sneakers were just for playing basketball. And all of a sudden, sneakers became fashion and culture,” said Fortune Magazine‘s editor-at-large Roy S. Johnson in ‘The Last Dance’ documentary. For sneakerheads, or even your average Joe, it is hard not to discuss Michael Jordan and let your mind immediately wander to the famed shoes bearing his name. Since 1985, the Air Jordans have continued to impact fashion, whether it be for the use of sportswear or streetwear, or to be highlighted on the red carpet of a movie screening. The impact that ‘His Airness’ left on the NBA court continues to be seen in the revenue earned from the Air Jordan brand, which reached $7 billion in 2024 alone.

Due to this, sneakerheads are treated to new shoes by the famed brand every year. Not just new colourways of the older shoes, but also new designs that might, or might not, have taken inspiration from the previous versions. Now, as the Air Jordans complete 40 years, let us take a look at the new creation originating from this famed sneaker line.

All About the ‘Air Jordan 40’

The Jordan Brand recently presented a first look at the upcoming ‘Air Jordan 40’ sneakers. Priced at $205, the shoes are set to release on July 12th. Therefore, to all sneaker heads, you have plenty of time to start saving up.

As highlighted by the official product description on Nike’s page, a way to celebrate 40 years of Air Jordans is to “do what’s never been done”. That uniqueness has been incorporated into the design as, for the first time in the brand’s history, the shoes will be paired with Jordan’s Zoom Strobel unit and Nike’s ZoomX cushioning in the midsole. The ZoomX foam was previously utilized by the Air Jordan 39 too, but it was combined with a bottom-loaded Zoom unit. The Zoom Strobel tech helps move the cushioning closer to the foot, allowing more responsiveness. Meanwhile, according to ‘About Nike’, the ZoomX foam has been described as Nike’s “softest, lightest and most responsive foam, which delivers athletes 85 percent energy return”.

As of now, the shoe has been previewed in 3 colorways: the “Blue Suede”, “The Classic”, and “Dusty Rose”. The “Blue Suede” version is wrapped in smooth blue suede across the toebox and side panels. Meanwhile, black nubuck overlays offer a contrast, and the tongue has been given a shimmering effect, with the iconic Jumpman logo highlighted in grey.

The Jordan Brand has confirmed that six more colorways, in addition to the previous 3, will launch in the next 12 months. Each of the unseen colorways will feature unique materials on the upper that will correspond with the colorways themselves.

Believe it or not, but the Air Jordan 40 has been created by taking inspiration from not 1, not 2, but 7 previous shoe versions of the brand. The tongue’s design has been borrowed from the Air Jordan 5, the heel clip and eyelets reference the Air Jordan 3. For the first time since the Air Jordan 6, the heel clip will have the “Nike Air” branding on it. While the reflectivity is drawn from the Air Jordan 13, the bone-line stitching comes from the Air Jordan 14, aka the shoes Michael Jordan wore in his last championship game ever.

If you felt that iridescent window was familiar, you need to hear these three words: Air Jordan 18. The micro webbing with Jordan’s signature comes from the Air Jordan 15. The Air Jordan 12 provides the toe’s Jumpman. The upper of the 40s also highlights six webbing straps. They will hold the wearer’s foot in place while, at the same time, reminding people that Michael Jordan won 6 NBA titles.

A closer look at the shoe will allow you to see that the silhouette’s logo is designed entirely of 40-degree angles, marking a tribute to 40 years of the brand. On top of that, a new herringbone traction pattern has been designed on the shoe that’s modelled after the “40” logo.

Since the Air Jordan 5s (which by the way you can wear in GTA V), the Jordan Brand has ensured that the lateral side of its shoes is made shorter than the medial portion of the shoe. This same detail will be carried on for the Air Jordan 40s, too.

Who will debut the Air Jordan 40 on the NBA Court?

Well, of course, we can’t have Michael Jordan debut these shoes on the court. Not only has he not played an NBA game since April 2003, but he seldom attends the games, too. Fortunately, the Jordan Brand boasts several renowned athletes who can instead take up the charge.

As reported by Complex, Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero and Atlanta Hawks player Trae Young have been announced as the faces of the Air Jordan 40. They will be wearing the PE colorways of the sneaker throughout the 2025-26 NBA season.

Paolo Banchero acknowledged this in a recent statement by revealing, “I can’t wait to take the court in the Air Jordan 40 this season. It’s truly a shoe built for today’s style of basketball, with the innovative edge that comes from being a member of the Jordan Family. That attention to performance will take my game to the next level as I continue to proudly represent the Jumpman, the ultimate symbol of greatness.” Meanwhile, Trae Young adopted a unique way of teasing the sneakers. He posted pictures of himself training on Instagram, but with his basketball shoes blurred out. That is certainly one way to create intrigue.

What are your thoughts on the design and hidden details of the Air Jordan 40? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.