As you probably know, this week we're all about the legendary 90s. Whether it's video games, iconic films or even fashion from the 90s, we children of the 90s and especially the slightly older generation love to reminisce about this formative time. Of course, we think back most fondly to all the sneakers that were born in the 90s and also to those that celebrated their peak through placements in famous films. And that's where we come to the topic of this blog post, 90s sneakers from Space Jam!
What would a 90s Week for sneaker enthusiasts be without the 1996 film 'Space Jam'?! A legendary film that even got its own Jordan sneaker. Michael Jordan, the man himself, plays the main role in the film and gives us some sneaker heat at various points!
But the shoe that is the most famous from the film and, above all, a sneaker you probably didn't even notice, we'll show you now. But before that, here's a short summary for those who haven't seen the film yet. After all, there are now enough kids who have certainly never heard of 'Space Jam'.
Short summary of the film 'Space Jam'
To save their run-down amusement park, a squad of aliens plans to take Bugs Bunny and the other Looney Tunes to their planet as an attraction. Bugs manages to persuade the midgets to play a basketball match, but he hasn't reckoned with their treachery: With the absorbed talents of some top NBA players, the little aliens mutate into huge professional basketball players. The chances are more than bad for the Tunes, so they urgently need help. That comes from young basketball star Michael Jordan!
If you still can't really imagine the whole thing, then the best thing to do is watch the trailer for the film here:
Michael Jordan, the Tune Squad and the 90s Sneaker in 'Space Jam'
So, now we all know at least roughly what the film is about. Cartoon characters that shaped our childhood come together with a man who was and is a huge inspiration and hero for many people. Michael Jordan, who was still young at the time, was given some kicks as product placements, i.e. for advertising purposes, for the shooting of the film. And as we know from some other films from that time, Nike also wanted to get in on the act and promote their latest shoes.
We're going to show you some cool 90s sneakers from the film 'Space Jam' that you probably didn't notice. Let's go!
Air Jordan 9 OG 'Chicago' (1993)
The first highlight is a silhouette that you don't see very often anymore. First released in 1993, this Jordan Brand basketball sneaker made it to Michael Jordan's feet in the film. There, MJ wears the OG colourway of the silhouette, the Air Jordan 9 'Chicago'! Like its predecessors, it has been given the Jumpman and Michael Jordan's jersey number, 23.
Click here for the original model >>
Air Jordan 10 OG 'Shadow' (1994)
Next up is another Jordan silhouette that is also rarely seen these days. The sneaker that came after the Air Jordan 9 was placed in 'Space Jam' in its most original form. The Air Jordan 10 OG 'Shadow' got a grey nubuck leather upper here and already got some elements that can also be found on its successor in the Jordan series, the Air Jordan 11. Can you tell which ones?
Click here for the original model >>
And here to the re-release from 2018 >>
Nike Air Max Triax '94
In addition to all the basketball silhouettes, Nike also launched several running and crossfit models in the 90s. Therefore, it is foreseeable that as soon as MJ is not on the field, shoes of this kind have to be promoted. A good example can be found in the part of the film shown below, in which Michael Jordan wears a clean model of the Nike Air Max Triax '94 on his foot.
These sneakers are unfortunately only available in a few places in 2021, which is why we can't show you any new colourways…but of course we have an alternative for you!
Two years after the Air Max Triax '94, the successor model came onto the market: the Nike Air Max Triax '96. A model that is not just gathering dust in the Nike archives today. Check out the link below for a small, fine selection.
Check out some Nike Air Max Triax '96 in our sneaker collection >>
Nike Air CB 34 (1995)
The next gem in our selection of 90s sneakers from 'Space Jam' is the Nike Air CB 34. Even I didn't know this silhouette, and had to ask around in the team until our OG head Tommy gave me the name with a single glance. Respect for that! But now back to the shoe:
The CB in the name of the shoe stands for "Charles Barkley". Named MVP in 1993, he is one of the best basketball players in history. He is also the person who wears these kicks in the spot in the film shown below.
A great piece that has only been re-released so far. Too bad, because the Air CB 34 exudes retro vibes at its best and can come back with fresh colourways!
Click here for the re-release from 2016 >>
The sneaker star of the film
I hope I was able to impress you with this selection of kicks that can be found in the film. As you can see, the film even briefly spotlights some shoes that are rarely seen today. For example, the Air Jordan 9 is one of the Jordan Brand silhouettes that doesn't really belong to the classics and is almost no longer available. Take a look for yourself at Nike. You won't find a single Air Jordan 9 there…
That's the case with many of the vintage models from the 90s. You may think what you like…but one silhouette is still very popular today: the Air Jordan 11. And it even got a completely new colourway on the launch of the movie, the name of which bears the title of the film and which is still one of the most sought-after colourways today!
Clear the stage for the last and most important 90s sneaker from the film 'Space Jam':
The Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam'
As already mentioned, we now come to the most important sneaker from the film. The Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' was placed in the part of the film where things finally get down to business. The final match for which MJ and the Looney Tunes train for in the film, Tune Squad vs Monstars begins! There couldn't have been a more fitting spot to show off AJ11, and get the crowd's attention. And as you'd expect, the silhouette was a huge success.
Fortunately, there are still enough fans and lovers of the silhouette to this day, so that you can look forward to new, fresh colourways as well as retro releases and re-releases every now and then!
Click here for the latest release from 2016 >>
That's it for this blog post about the '90s sneakers from 'Space Jam' that you didn't know yet! I hope that I was able to give some of you a nice flashback and that you will now, in the time of the lockdown, stream the film again and take a closer look at what else you can discover! If you haven't seen the film yet…DO IT!
Even more Jordan Heat in our competition:
In case you haven't noticed, we have an exclusive giveaway going on right now to celebrate our 90s Week. Here you can win the Air Jordan 6 'Carmine' in your size! Check out our Instagram channel for all the info you need to enter the #SJ90sChallenge. >>Click here to go straight to the competition on Instagram<<
