Air Jordan XVIII

Air Jordan XVIII

Designer: Tate Kuerbis

Released: 2003

The Air Jordan XVIII marked another transition for Michael Jordan and the design team for the brand that bears his name. The shoe's release year, 2003, saw MJ's final NBA game, and Tate Kuerbis stepped in to design the 16th edition of MJ's signature shoe. The senior footwear designer drew inspiration from high-end automobiles: sleek racing lines, F1 race cars and race driving shoes. Fine Italian dress shoes also inspired the stitching on the AJ XVIII's outsole. It featured a one-piece leather upper, a carbon fiber comfort control plate incorporated into the midsole, a hand-stitched outsole, dual-layer heel and low-profile Zoom Air cushioning in the forefoot. The AJ XVII was released in a pull-out box with a cut-out "18" on the lid. It included a brush for the black suede colorway, a towel for cleaning, and the Air Jordan XVIII Driver's Manual booklet. The brand did a "Love" campaign surrounding the release of the AJ XVIII, celebrating MJ's career and final NBA season. Jordan released three colorways of the AJ XVIII in 2003. The Black/Royal was made of suede, while the White/Royal and White/Red were leather. Two lows were released in Black/Black and White/University Blue. Along with the mids and lows, Jordan released the Air Jordan 18.5. The primary difference in design was a perforated Jumpman logo on the side of the upper. In 2002-03, Michael Jordan wore the AJ XVIII and was selected to his 14th and final NBA All-Star Game. Other NBA players wearing the shoe included Richard Hamilton, Scottie Pippen, Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Michael Finley, and Carmelo Anthony.