{"id":485640,"date":"2016-02-25T16:27:34","date_gmt":"2016-02-25T21:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=485640"},"modified":"2020-09-12T03:54:29","modified_gmt":"2020-09-12T07:54:29","slug":"air-jordan-3-true-blue-throwback-thursday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/air-jordan-3-true-blue-throwback-thursday\/","title":{"rendered":"Throwback Thursday \/\/ Air Jordan 3 “True Blue”"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the news emerged late last night of the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue”<\/strong> making its return to retailers this Black Frida<\/a>y, plenty of sneaker enthusiasts were jumping for joy at the return of the iconic silhouette and colorway for the first time since 2011.<\/p>\n

In addition, the notable accentuation of the “Nike Air” branding will certainly be a hit as well, as we present the latest edition of Throwback Thursday<\/strong><\/em> detailing the entire history of the aforementioned makeup.<\/p>\n

To see the entire history, flip through the pages below to enjoy.<\/p>\n

Grounded: MJ’s Dilemma<\/h2>\n

There was plenty of speculation as to whether or not MJ would decide to move on from Nike prior to the Air Jordan 3. With his career hitting some adversity due to injuries, such as a broken foot, MJ and his collective brand were in a bit of a predicament. Michael’s distaste for Nike at the moment would be due to the sudden departure of the Air Jordan 1 creators and MJ confidant’s in Robert Strasser and Peter Moore.<\/p>\n

Looking to boost the brand entirely, the Air Jordan 3 would mark the turning point in arguably one of the most significant sneaker brands in the world, as Tinker Hatfield would design the famed silo.<\/p>\n

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New Era: The Air Jordan 3<\/h2>\n

Created by Tinker Hatfield, the Air Jordan 3 would be the first mid-top silhouette within the Air Jordan lineage. It was designed for greater flexibility and incorporated the Nike Air Revolution aesthetic within its midsole and outsole. Furthermore, the Air Jordan 3 would utilize an animalistic quality in many ways as the heel counters and portions of the toe box fused elephant print that would become iconic in this culture of footwear.<\/p>\n

The mainstream debut of the Air Jordan 3 would arrive during the 1988 All-Star festivities in Chicago, as MJ would capture another Slam Dunk title in the White\/Cement iteration, and then rock the Black\/Cement colorway during the game en route to MVP honors.<\/p>\n

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Air Jordan 3 “True Blue”<\/h2>\n

Although plenty would attribute the first “lifestyle” Air Jordan to being the Air Jordan 3 “Mocha,” the “True Blue” vibe would seem to be the perfect blend of lifestyle and team vibes with its release back in 1988. Featuring a mostly white upper, elephant print accents combed the heel counter and toe box, as well as “Nike Air” branding appearing. The patented Nike trademark would dissolve from the sneaker’s makeup with latter releases.<\/p>\n

The retro release of the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue” wouldn’t arrive at retailers until 2001, nearly 15 years later from its initial inception. It would later launch as an EU exclusive in modified form in 2009, then once again in the States in 2011.<\/p>\n

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Legacy of the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue”<\/h2>\n

The legacy of the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue” remains tried-and-true as the lore of the model continues to grow with each generation despite initially releasing nearly 28 years ago. As always, the abundance of notable figures in the model has bolstered its appeal as during the 2003 NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant would pay homage to MJ by rocking the colorway during Michael’s final ASG appearance.<\/p>\n

In addition, our very own Sneak Peek alumnus in Phase 2, showcased a player exclusive of MJ’s “True Blue” 3s that he sported during his tenure with the Wizards, as seen below.<\/p>\n