Today, the popularity of Jordan 1s is at an all-time high. But this shouldn’t be surprising. The Jordan 1 has been the talk of basketball and pop culture since it first arrived in 1984. The story goes that in Michael Jordan’s rookie year he wore a pair of Jordan 1s that didn’t adhere to the NBA’s uniform code and was immediately fined for every game he played wearing them. Nike believed in the player and the product, opting to pay the steep penalties to keep the pairs on court. The culture put this renegade spirit at the center of the brand’s story causing a fervor and launching the most successful sneaker partnership in history. Nike even made some powerful ads about it.

That’s the story that’s circulated for more than three decades. But here’s the thing: it’s not true. StockX dug deep into the history of this urban legend, and uncovered the truth behind the myth of the banned Jordan. You’ll be surprised when you learn the actual facts.
Read the real story behind the banned Jordans here.