The Air Jordan 2 has to be one of most interesting Jordan shoes when it comes to its story. From a technical standpoint, the Air Jordan 2 wasn’t very bad at all. But, it certainly wasn’t world-beating, even during its 1986 release year.
Durable leather stretches through a high-top form, sitting atop a standard absorbent Nike cushioning setup. Again, not amazing, but not bad either. With that being said, the more interesting aspect of the Jordan 2 was, in fact, its story.
When it comes to Air Jordan models, it’s hard to imagine that there’s one we never speak about. After all, nearly every part of the Jordan signature sneaker series fixes itself to some part of MJ’s mythology.
Particularly, the first thirteen models seem easy to recognize simply because Jordan’s greatest exploits took place while playing in those shoes. But, it seems like one of those releases is very often brushed aside as a coincidental part of a grand collection: the Air Jordan 2.
Image Credit: Titolo
The story behind it:
The devil is in the details here. The designers of this model were Bruce Kilgore and Peter Moore. Following the Air Jordan 2, both of these gentlemen would be immediately dismissed from design work on further Jumpman signature releases.
This would probably be a good way of explaining how the Jordan 2, regardless of how little fanfare it gets, stands out in terms of aesthetics. Interestingly, Kilgore is more recognizable now after he moved on to design the Air Force 1.
Funny enough, the Air Jordan 2 did as well in stores as the Air Jordan 1. In fact, it even had an eerily similar reception.
Upon initial release, not many families are looking to buy their kids $105 shoes. But, as the NBA season wears on into the holiday season, it flies off shelves. The sneaker also comes with a few relatively unconfirmed rumors.
Image Credit: Titolo
From Italy to the world:
The most interesting example of this would probably be its manufacturing origins. Every Air Jordan 2 model was rumored to have been put together in Italy.
In fact, another rumor went on to stipulate that the mold for the AJ 2 was destroyed, forcing the brand to dissect older versions so as to put together the Air Jordan 2 retro release.
Yet and still, this is the notable black sheep of the retro Jordan line. Sure, the most recent Just Don design work had put this underappreciated sneaker back on the map.
But, it still pales in hype comparison to its earlier and later counterparts. For hoop heads, this shoe may also represent the blossoming of our love affair with the GOAT and his Chicago Bulls.
Image Credit: Nike