Jordan Brand has a storied legacy of crafting ultra-limited player-exclusive sneakers for its signature athletes and brand affiliates. Recently, a new ‘UNC Metallic’ colorway of the Air Jordan 1 ’85 surfaced, although it is confirmed that this pair will not be made available to the public. The iconic Air Jordan 1 debuted in 1985, with many of the colorways worn by Michael Jordan ultimately seeing retail release and becoming classic designs over the years. In 1994, the concept of player exclusives took root when Nike and Jordan crafted custom versions of the Air Jordan 9 for select NBA players, marking the beginning of an ongoing tradition of limited releases. This year alone featured the Air Jordan 1 High ’85 player-exclusive ‘Chicago’ style, highly sought after by sneaker collectors. Following that, the ‘UNC Metallic’ AJ1 has emerged as another rare player exclusive, believed to total less than twenty-five pairs. Featuring a stark white base complemented by a shiny metallic UNC blue, this shoe is destined to remain a coveted item among enthusiasts for many years. Currently, there are no plans for a public release; however, there remains a slim hope for an unexpected drop either this summer or next year. Stay tuned for future updates on this and other sneaker news.
