This New Air Jordan Is Inspired by an Obscure Michael Jordan Superstition

Whether it be fans or the athletes themselves, sports superstitions are aplenty. Early next year, Jordan Brand will reference one of Michael Jordan’s unique good luck charms with the release of a new-look Air Jordan 3.

Nicknamed the “Lucky Shorts” Air Jordan 3, the new colorway’s inspiration comes from Jordan’s college basketball shorts. The former NBA great is said to have worn a pair of blue University of North Carolina practice shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform during every game. It’s the sort of factoid that only the most devoted Jordan fans are likely to remember, but it will soon be immortalized on the legend’s third signature sneaker.

Using the Air Jordan 3’s “Fire Red”-style color blocking, the upcoming style covers the entire upper in a white leather and uses a pre-aged look on the midsole. The sneaker’s signature elephant print overlays have been replaced with a gray suede, which also appears on the heel and eyelets for an aesthetic similar to A Ma Maniére’s 2021 collaboration on the model. Tying the theme together are minor accents of Carolina blue on the heel and eyelets — a fitting callback to Jordan’s shorts.

In the 1996 film “Space Jam,” Jordan joked about the superstition. “Whatever you do, don’t forget my North Carolina shorts. I wore them under my Chicago Bulls uniform every game,” he said, much to the disgust of his Looney Tunes teammates, who questioned his hygiene practices. 

“Hey, I washed them after every game,” Jordan asserted.

But the “Lucky Shorts” ended up being more than a quirky superstition. It’s been speculated that Jordan later began wearing baggier Bulls shorts in effort to conceal the blue pair underneath, which eventually led to the entire league adopting the looser style.

The Air Jordan 3 Retro “Lucky Shorts” features a full colorway of “Summit White/Hydrogen Blue/Legend Blue/Photon Dust/Pure Platinum/Sail” and will be released on Feb. 22 for an expected retail price of $200.