In the beginning: Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Rookie of the Year”
We go on a bit of a trip to NBA past as we get a look at the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Rookie of the Year”. In 1985, Michael Jordan had finished off what is still one of the most sparkling rookie campaigns in the history of the sport. He’d averaged 28 points per game and made defenders look silly all season, making over 50% of his shot attempts.
The NBA world had officially been introduced to the man who would be giving their favorite players fits of frustration. To cap off this stellar first year, Jordan was awarded the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honors. As memorable as the achievement – and his incredible rookie season – was, this shoe keys in on something else.
During the press conference, Michael Jordan picks up his shiny new award while wearing an outfit that could have single-handedly stolen the show. MJ was rocking an overshirt that looked like he was about to head out on safari – all he was missing was the hat!
The unforgettable Golden Brown color on this piece is where this latest Air Jordan 1 High retro takes its inspiration from this shirt and decorates the shoe accordingly. The base is in a pretty traditional White scheme, accompanied by Black Swoosh branding on the quarter panels.
The Brown sections show up as cuts of what appears to be nubuck. The stitch detailing really jumps out at you on the muted material overlays. A subtle note of contrast also comes to us via the Red Nike Air branding on the tongue.
The Air Jordan 1 has taken on several distinctive aesthetics that celebrate MJ’s greatest moments. This one is a bit different as it focuses on his remarkable fashion sense. Here’s hoping we get more of this!