The Air Jordan 39 Takes Flight Before the Olympics

The Air Jordan 39 launches on July 23 for $200.

The Air Jordan 39. / Jordan Brand

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Every basketball fan has seen Michael Jordan's poetic cross-step. Staring down his defender while chewing gum, Jordan would give a rocker step, explode off his left foot, and drive to the hoop.

All at once, he stops, dribbles between his legs to switch the ball to his left hand, and cross-steps the defender, leaving him frozen. Jordan lifts up gracefully for the jump shot, burying the basket.

Studying Jordan's cross-step was the foundation for building the Air Jordan 39. Meanwhile, Jordan Brand's trendsetting style informed the first nine colorways shown off today.

Fans got their first look at the unreleased model when Orlando Magic forward and Jordan Brand athlete Paolo Banchero debuted it during the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Starting next week, the sneaker community can finally get their hands on the Air Jordan 39.

The Air Jordan 39. / Jordan Brand

The Air Jordan 39 officially launches on Tuesday, July 23. Athletes and fans can purchase the performance hoop shoes for $200 on Jordan.com and at select retailers.

The shoe's design is created for the modern player while being informed by Jordan's excellence, resulting in a shoe dedicated to mastering basketball's most effective movements. 

It features a new midsole combination of full-length ZoomX foam and full-length Air Zoom for a premium cushioning experience. At the same time, the upper is constructed to secure the foot during explosive changes in direction.

The Air Jordan 39. / Jordan Brand

Rooted in the motion and emotion of Jordan's game, the shoe's design is created for the modern player dedicated to mastering basketball's most effective movements. 

The cushioning system is the first full-length ZoomX foam and Air Zoom combination to appear in a basketball shoe. The lightweight, responsive foam is behind some of the most elite, record-breaking performances in performance running, earning its reputation as a key ingredient in the super-shoe formula.

Meanwhile, full-length Air Zoom has its own legacy rooted in the Jordan Brand, from its debut in the Air Jordan XII to its appearance in iconic models like the Air Jordan XXIII.

In the Air Jordan 39, the bottom-loaded Air Zoom unit is nestled inside the full-length ZoomX foam for a lightweight, responsive system that comfortably adjusts to your foot's profile over time. Containing the ZoomX foam for nonlinear movement is an innovative cup sole design to help stabilize the foot.

The Air Jordan 39. / Jordan Brand

According to Joël Greenspan, Senior Design Director for Jordan Brand Performance Footwear, the entire package of the Air Jordan 39 might look quieter than other models in the Air Jordan flagship line — simplified tooling, a clean toe-down look, minimal branding. And that's by design.

"This is Michael Jordan's signature shoe," says Greenspan. "From the cushioning to the materials to the construction, everything about this shoe is pinnacle." 

With the Summer Olympics starting next week, the timing of the Air Jordan 39 launch could not be better. Fans can follow Sports Illustrated for all their footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

Further Reading: Michael Jordan's retro sneakers drop in a Birmingham Barons colorway.