Many sneakerheads’ wishes came true during the holiday season in 2016 when the Jordan Brand announced that it would be retro-ing the Air Jordan 11 Space Jam kicks, which is among the most beloved and respected takes on the iconic silhouette around. The release is a continuing tradition for Jordan Brand, but it also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the film—you guessed it—Space Jam which starred Michael Jordan along with Wayne Knight, Theresa Randle, Bill Murray, and of course, the Looney Tunes gang. What’s more, Warner Bros. got on board with the release. The resulting Air Jordan 11 issue inevitably brought back many fans to 1996.
Release Date & Price
Amazon
$113.00 – $699.30
Amazon Discount Codes
Ebay
$177.50 to $300
Ebay Discount Codes
Walmart
$379
Release date: December 2016
If the sneakers were familiar to older fans, it would be because the colorway was first introduced to the public in 1995, during the NBA Playoffs, and was reintroduced in succeeding years, particularly during the 2000s. When His Airiness came back to playing basketball, he preferred the Air Jordan 11s over the 10s and had them in a mostly dark color scheme. Jordan wore them way before the film even made it to the silver screen, but since its release it would become the nickname of the very sick and sleek black Air Jordan 11s.
Pros
The Air Jordan 11 Retro Space Jam 2016 is a treat not only to fans who religiously follow every release of the Jordan Brand but also to sneakerheads who happen to hold Looney Tunes characters close to heart. The box the shoes come in are inspired by Looney Tunes, particularly Bugs Bunny, and has a graphic that has the beloved bunny and Monsters taking the shape of the number ‘23’. While the packaging is fascinating, the limelight still goes to the shoes that feature a colorway as gorgeous as when they debuted in the mid-1990s. The 2016 release resembles that of the Jordans MJ wore on the film, in which the dark concord and patent leather create a nice contrast. Compared to other Jordan 11s, the 23 on the heel is stitched rather than printed, removing the worry that they will eventually fade away. The color makes the Retro Space Jams very easy to coordinate and flaunt on the streets whenever you feel like it.
Cons
The patent leather which is notably higher than the 2009 release of the Air Jordan 11 Space Jam is a divisive choice for most fans. As with other Jordan 11s, the shoes run larger; it’s recommended to take half a size smaller than your usual sizing.
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Image credits: Nice Kicks (featured image), Highsnobiety, Sneaker Bar Detroit, Sneaker Politics, Packer Shoes (article images)
