The Air Jordan 3 is the model that saved Michael Jordan's Nike career. Released in 1988, it was the first Jordan designed by Tinker Hatfield and the first to feature the Jumpman logo — the silhouette that became the single most important brand mark in sneakers.
After the AJ2 underperformed, Michael Jordan was reportedly considering leaving Nike for Adidas. Hatfield — then a relatively unknown Nike designer known for retail architecture before footwear — personally pitched Jordan on the AJ3 with three details no Jordan had featured before:
- Visible Air cushioning (first Jordan with a windowed Air unit)
- Elephant print on the toe and heel overlays
- The Jumpman logo replacing the Wings branding of the AJ1 and AJ2
Jordan signed on. The shoe launched alongside the "Mars Blackmon" Spike Lee commercials ("Is it the shoes?"), and Jordan wore the "White Cement" colorway during his 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest performance — including the iconic free-throw-line dunk against the 76ers' Kevin Willis.
Signature colorways:
- White Cement — the 1988 OG, widely considered the most iconic Jordan 3 colorway ever
- Black Cement — the darker OG counterpart, equally foundational
- Fire Red — Jordan's Eastbay commercial colorway
- UNC — North Carolina blue tribute
- True Blue — royal blue alternative that MJ wore during the 1988 playoffs
Cultural weight:
The AJ3 defined "retro culture" when Jordan Brand began re-releasing models in the early 2000s. The White Cement retro in 2011 and subsequent re-releases consistently sell out instantly. A Ma Maniéré's women's and men's AJ3 collaborations (2021, 2022) are among the most celebrated modern Jordan partnerships.
Retail:
$200 for standard High OG retros.
JustFreshKicks covers every Air Jordan 3 release — retros, collaborations, Fire Red reissues, and new colorways — with release dates, images, and launch links.