Air Jordan 2: a sneaker serving Michael Jordan's performance
The Air Jordan 2 may not be the most iconic in the range in terms of design, but it is a pair that fulfilled its mission: to restore Michael Jordan's agility and flexibility after an injury. Let's decode today the birth and evolution of MJ's second signature shoe with the Air Jordan 2!
History of the creation of the Air Jordan 2
Michael Jordan suffered a foot injury during his second season, which required some adaptation of the design of the Air Jordan 1. And it was precisely this change that gave birth to the Air Jordan 2, to restore Michael Jordan's agility. Designed by Bruce Kilgore, the godfather of Nike Air shoes, the Air Jordan 2 was different from traditional pairs, which often had a rubber sole. In contrast, the Air Jordan 2 had a soft midsole to provide better cushioning.
A pair of sneakers serving performance
More comfortable, they were meant to improve MJ's performance on the court. A successful bet, as it was while wearing them that Michael Jordan achieved the first of his seven scoring titles! He also maintained an average of 37.1 points per game and scored 40 points in 9 consecutive games during the season. It was a 23-year-old Jordan who started the 1986-87 NBA season wearing the new sneaker, laced at the second eyelet from the top as that was how he preferred to lace all his shoes. He was also named NBA All-Star, won the Slam Dunk Contest in Seattle with his legendary dunk from the free-throw line, and was part of the All-NBA First Team. Jordan primarily wore the two mid-top versions "home" and "away" in the first half of the season, adding the two low models during the second half.
An immediate success despite a higher price
Since the Air Jordan 2 was a level above the Air Jordan 1, it was normal for it to be a bit more expensive. It was the first Air Jordan shoe to cross the $100 price point. The reason? A significant price increase due to modifications made to the design of the Air Jordan 1, but not only that: Nike had the Air Jordan 2 made in Italy rather than in Asia, which impacted the final price of the pair. Despite this, the Air Jordan 2 was a hit from its launch. For sports enthusiasts, it was an opportunity to perform better on the court while enjoying an innovation that introduced the concept of luxury into the world of sports, all for $150.
An Air Jordan 2 x Converse collaboration in 2017
Jordan Brand and Converse teamed up in 2017 to release a pack of two sneakers called "The 2 That Started It All". The Air Jordan 2 and the Converse Fastbreak included in the kit paid homage to the past by Jordan wearing the Converse brand as a Tar Heel and his appearances at alumni games. Curiously, the date on the heel of the Air Jordan 2 Mid "Alumni Game" is 28/06/87, the date he wore the white/blue low-cut model, and not the Mid. Rumor has it that the original molds of the Air Jordan 2 were destroyed, so the retro-edited models for the first time in 1995 in mid and low silhouettes would not perfectly match the original.
A very important model in Michael Jordan's career
Jordan wore the new model for the first time in the summer of 1986, filming a Nike commercial produced by Wieden + Kennedy. In the ad, Jordan jumps into the air in slow motion executing his "rock-a-baby" dunk, after which the narrator coldly says: "Air Jordan: it's all in the imagination". Although the Air Jordan 2 is one of the most polarizing models of the Jordan brand, one cannot deny how crucial it was in Jordan's career. Nike took significant risks at the time by radically changing its Air Jordan design after the success of the first shoe. Yet, it was this that set the tone for future models, namely risk-taking and long-term vision. The Air Jordan 2 may not be the most popular model in the range, but it still represents an important milestone in the evolution of the brand. And it was what was on Michael Jordan's feet when he broke all the NBA records!
