As a 19-year-old freshman at the University of North Carolina (UNC), basketball legend Michael Jordan got his first national audience at the 1982 NCAA Division I Championship. With just 17 seconds left in the game, Jordan landed a jump shot to clinch the victory for the Tar Heels.
Of course, Jordan would go on to earn accolades as the greatest basketball player in history as shooting guard with the Chicago Bulls. He also rose to exceptional fame in the world of sports apparel following the 1984 release of the Nike Air Jordan.
The latest version of the Air Jordan pays homage to Jordan’s 1982 colligate championship victory with a white ballistic nylon mesh and two iconic Jordan “Jumpman” logos in light blue. These official UNC colors are augmented by midnight navy detailing on the shoe’s inner liner, heel, and tongue. The unique look of the Air Jordan XI Retro Win Like ’82 is completed by a white midsole and an icy translucent outsole.
Jordan obviously held onto his 1982 NCAA victory as a source of inspiration throughout his professional career, famously wearing his collegiate practice shorts under his NBA uniform. Now you can harness the power of Jordan’s early years by strapping on a pair of Air Jordan XI Retro Win Like ’82s before you hit the court.