What Shoes Did Jordan Wear in Barcelona?

By Alice Nichols

If you’re a basketball fan, you’ve probably heard of Michael Jordan’s famous stint with the United States men’s basketball team in the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain. During this time, MJ wore some of the most iconic shoes in basketball history. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what shoes Jordan wore during this momentous occasion.

The History Behind Jordan’s Shoes

Michael Jordan is known for his signature line of sneakers, produced by Nike. However, during the Olympics in Barcelona, he wore something different. In fact, he didn’t even wear his own signature shoes.

The Dream Team

Jordan was part of the Dream Team – a group of elite American basketball players that included Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and others. Together they won gold at the 1992 Olympics and dominated every game they played.

The Nike Air Force 180

During the tournament, MJ wore the Nike Air Force 180 – a shoe that was designed for another NBA player: Charles Barkley. The Air Force 180 featured an air unit in both the heel and forefoot for maximum cushioning and support.

Why Didn’t Jordan Wear His Own Shoes?

This is a question that has been asked by many fans over the years. After all, why wouldn’t Jordan wear his own signature shoes during such an important event?

The answer lies in Jordan’s contract with Nike. At the time of the Olympics, MJ had just launched his seventh signature shoe – The Air Jordan VII.

However, due to strict Olympic rules against advertising of any kind by athletes during competition, Nike couldn’t promote their brand through MJ’s shoes on court. So instead of wearing his own signature shoes and risking disqualification from the games altogether, Michael chose to wear something else entirely.

In Conclusion

While Michael Jordan is known for his signature line of sneakers, during the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he wore something different. The Nike Air Force 180 was designed for Charles Barkley but was worn by Jordan due to strict Olympic rules.

The shoes featured an air unit in both the heel and forefoot for maximum cushioning and support. Despite not wearing his own signature shoes, MJ still dominated on the court and helped lead the Dream Team to a gold medal victory.