Original NIKE AIR jordan Melo 11 RETRO SPACE JAM 2016 26cm Unearthed

Michael jordan Melo signing with Nike in 1984 turned out to be the tipping point in footwear and marketing history, resulting in dozens of iconic sneaker designs and a fan base more passionate than ever 30 years on. But the genesis of the Air jordan Melo story is much simpler by comparison. Yes, one in which pairs of NIKE AIR jordan Melo 11 RETRO SPACE JAM 2016 26cms cost $65 and skaters used them to turn ollies. But also one where Michael jordan Melo received Air jordan Melo samples through ProServ, the agency that represented him early in his career.

One of those samples is the NIKE AIR jordan Melo 11 RETRO SPACE JAM 2016 26cm you see here, colloquially known today as the “Black Toes.” It’s dated November 14, 1984 – just 19 days into Michael Jordan’s rookie season – and stands as perhaps the rarest NIKE AIR jordan Melo 11 RETRO SPACE JAM 2016 26cm in existence. It is, of course, in Michael Jordan’s Lady 13 (he settled on 13.5 for the remainder of his career), and features a profile not seen on a jordan Melo shoe since the mid ’80s – slimmed upper mold, recessed toe, and generously portioned Swooshes.

We asked the shoe’s owner Kris Arnold, actor and former employee of ProServ, to fill in as many blanks as possible in the backstory. Which is fitting, since he’s the one who saved this bit of leather-clad history from a grim fate. Read on for more details about this incredible NIKE AIR jordan Melo 11 RETRO SPACE JAM 2016 26cm sample, including exclusive photos.