Introducing the Air Jordan XXXIX

The move is a lethal work of art: Michael Jordan stares down his defender while standing at the left wing of his own basket. He gives a rocker step, explodes off his left foot, and drives 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 Michael Jordan’s cross-step was the foundation for building the Air Jordan XXXIX, the next edition in the storied Air Jordan flagship line. The Air Jordan XXXIX features a new midsole combination of full-length ZoomX foam and full-length Air Zoom for a premium cushioning experience, while the upper is constructed to secure the foot during explosive changes in direction. Rooted in the motion and emotion of Michael 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 XXXIX, 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.

According to Joël Greenspan, Senior Design Director for Jordan Brand Performance Footwear, the entire package of the Air Jordan XXXIX 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.

“Our values with the Air Jordan XXXIX came down to things like shape, proportion and stance,” says Greenspan. “We didn’t want to build a spaceship that was overtly aesthetic. In other words, we didn’t want to make the technology the visual focus of the design. Still, when athletes put on the shoe, we want them to instantly know they’re getting the most premium performance system possible.”

Behind every detail of the Air Jordan XXXIX is a craft-driven obsession to help players change direction effectively and responsively. The shoe’s upper, an embroidered textile, features a computational design inspired by footwear tests from the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL). After breaking down the mechanics of the cross-step countless times through high-speed cameras, Jordan Brand designers created a unique pattern shaped by the flex zones of the shoe as it bends from changes in direction. Natural leather overlays appear on the paneling to help contain the forefoot in high-stress areas. The clean herringbone traction pattern on the outsole is tuned to those same NSRL wear tests, reinforced in the areas that need the most bite when changing direction. The height of the tongue and the beveled contours of the heel were exactingly tested and measured to help prevent chafing at the ankle. No detail was spared in creating the Air Jordan XXXIX — which isn’t a surprise, considering who the feedback is coming from.

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

The Air Jordan XXXIX releases July 23 on jordan.com and at select retailers.