“This is the shoe that the greatest player in the league wears” – Kevin Durant describes what made ‘Air Jordan’ iconic brand
For almost four decades now, Air Jordan has been a common fixture in popular culture. Along with being one of the greatest basketball players ever, Michael Jordan also changed the shoe game forever.
The Air Jordan made its illustrious debut for public consumption in April 1985. Since then, it has not only been a staple in the basketball shoe world, but among casual fans and even people who aren't fans as well.
During a recent episode of his podcast, "The etcs," Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant touched on the popularity of Jordans all these years later. For him, it all starts with the man behind the shoe.
"You can walk around any environment anywhere on Earth, at least somebody is going to have a pair of Jordans on," Durant said.
"This is the shoe the greatest player in the league wears. He won championships in these. The stories behind his shoes, they're always going to hit deeper than anybody elses."
"You can walk around any environment, anywhere on Earth, at least somebody's going to have a pair of Jordans on."
—@KDTrey5 on the legacy of @Jumpman23 🏆 https://t.co/cmcgtl5S2m
Being such a big fan of Michael Jordan and the brand he built likely played a factor in Kevin Durant inking his own deal with the company. Throughout his NBA career, the former MVP has released 14 different signature shoes.
Air Jordan continues to dominate the market
Michael Jordan hasn't played in an NBA game in two decades, but his brand continues to dominate the basketball market. Other superstars like LeBron James have done well for themselves, but nothing compares to how the Chicago Bulls star changed the game.
When it comes to basketball shoes, Air Jordan is the first name that comes to mind. As Kevin Durant mentioned, they are a global hit that everyone knows today. It would be hard to find someone who wouldn't recognize the iconic jumpman logo.
Not only do people know the brand, but they continue to buy it. According to reports, Jordan Brand brought in over five billion dollars in 2022. This is not just from shoes, but they likely account for a majority of that revenue.
Jordans are such a big hit today that they are even hitting the big screen. This month, the movie "Air" is set to debut in theaters. The movie stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and tells the story of when Nike first brought in Michael Jordan and created the shoe that started an empire.
Based on the success it has had over the past four decades, it's fair to assume that Jordan and his brand will never fade.