2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the epic collaboration of Nike and Michael Jordan. The launch of Air Jordan revolutionized athlete endorsements, establishing a new era where athletes could earn royalties, a shift from previous norms. MJ’s brand has crossed more than $7 billion in sales alone, creating more history as the partnership continues. A pivotal element in that success was the iconic ad campaign. And one man who did the early ads was Spike Lee-and has an interesting story to tell.

Known as one of the most influential and iconic filmmakers ever, his filmography includes Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever, and Malcolm X. Yet, one of his breakout projects was 1986’s She’s Gotta Have It. In this, the character Mars Blackmon had a love for Michael Jordan and Air Jordan, which ultimately helped him land the first Nike commercial with His Airness.

“Late great Jim Riswold and Bill Davenport worked at Wieden & Kennedy, and they saw the film, She’s Gonna Have It. They called me up, Spike, ‘We want you to direct a Nike commercial.’ I said, ‘For who?’ They said, ‘For Michael Jordan.’ I said, ‘What?'” recalled Lee. They wanted to reprise the character Blackmon from the movie in the commercial, but there was a problem. “He said, ‘There’s a catch.’ I said, ‘What’s the catch?’ ‘Michael Jordan does not know who you are, and he has not seen She’s Gonna Have It.‘”

So, MJ never saw the movie, yet Spike Lee was the chosen one for the commercial, despite him not directing any commercials before. This thought did bother Lee, and a conversation with the Bulls legend cleared the air. “So it wasn’t until All-Star Weekend in Toronto, it was me and Mike in a room alone. I said, Mike, ‘You have not seen She’s Gonna Have It. You didn’t know who I was. People were telling you that Spike’s never directed a commercial.‘”

In classic fashion, Jordan deadpanned back. “He looked at me and said, ‘Mother——, you were wearing my shoes. I’ve had the honor and privilege of being called a Motherfu—- by Michael Jordan several times.” That ad was for the Air Jordan III in 1988, in black and white like the film. Now, Nike’s net worth, or market capitalization, is currently estimated at approximately $93.15 billion as per Stock Analysis.

Spike Lee called the collaboration with Nike and Michael Jordan a “blessing”

When Wieden+Kennedy copywriter Jim Riswold first spotted Mars Blackmon riffing on sneakers in She’s Gotta Have It, he envisioned something bigger: pairing Spike Lee’s street‑smart alter ego with a rising basketball phenom. Riswold and creative partner Bill Davenport pitched the idea to Nike in late 1987. And despite Lee’s lack of commercial credits, they won approval from Phil Knight himself.

“I was completely surprised when it blew up. It blew up, it changed the culture, and I’m just happy I was a part of it. And it was 100 percent accident,” Lee recalled in an interview with Good Morning America. Shot on 16 mm black‑and‑white film to mirror Lee’s indie aesthetic, the debut spot for the Air Jordan III first aired in February 1988. It ran nationally on CBS and ESPN.

Beyond sales, the campaign etched Mars Blackmon’s catchphrases into pop culture. “Is it the shoes?” became as recognizable as Jordan’s on‐court heroics. Lee calls the entire venture “a blessing.” He noted that Jordan “could’ve hired any top director, but he trusted our vision—and it blew Nike up.” That “blessing” launched a decade‑long creative partnership. By 1991, Lee had directed eight Air Jordan spots, and his Mars persona even inspired the 2006 retro release of the Spiz’ike—a mash‑up paying homage to those original ads

As Lee stated before, he had no experience directing commercials. But MJ trusted him and the vision presented by Riswold. Which turned out to be one of the best decisions not only for Nike and for Air Jordan. Later, the 6x NBA champion also helped the acclaimed director with one of his personal projects, as the bond between them continued.