Michael Jordan’s Player Exclusive Air Jordan 11s Are Actually Being Released

Riley Jones

August 8, 2024 at 2:32 AM·2 min read

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In the pantheon of Air Jordan Retros, there aren’t many original styles worn by Michael Jordan that have yet to see public retail releases. In Jordan Brand’s early days, the marketing around its releases was often centered around being able to wear the same shoes as Jordan himself — think the infamous “Banned” Air Jordan 1 ad, Spike Lee’s “it’s gotta be the shoes” tagline and so on. Yet even in Jordan’s on-court heyday, there were a handful of obscure pairs that never hit stores. According to new leaks, one such sneaker is finally set to launch.

The original Air Jordan 11 “Bred” (aka “Playoffs”) will reportedly receive a low-top makeover in 2025. The fan-favorite colorway is one of the most popular and significant Air Jordan 11s in the brand’s history, but its status as a low-top has been somewhat difficult to keep track of.

A player exclusive version of the Air Jordan 11 Low “Bred” was worn by Jordan during game one of the 1996 NBA Finals against the Seattle Supersonics (embedded below), the only documented occurrence of Jordan lacing up the sneakers. For the rest of the postseason, Jordan wore his more traditional mid-top Air Jordan 11 “Bred.”

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Over time, the Air Jordan 11 Low “Bred” PE has gained a considerable amount of lore. In 2015, Jordan Brand released a modified version of the Air Jordan 11 Low “Bred” with a red sockliner (below), resulting in a different look than the one the NBA legend wore in the ’96 Finals. It was close, but it wasn’t quite the same, and Jordan’s on-court PE remained relatively under the radar until earlier this year when auction house Goldin listed for sale what was presumed to be a game-worn pair. In June, bidding ended at $36,000, resulting in a total sale of $43,920 including the buyer’s premium fee.

Air Jordan 11 Low Retro ‘Bred’ (2015). Credit: Nike

Now, for the first time ever, fans won’t have to spend five-figures to get their hands on this pair. According to sources including @zsneakerheadz on Instagram, the Air Jordan 11 Low Retro “Bred” will be released on June 21, 2025. Retail pricing has not yet been confirmed and in-hand images of the ’25 version aren’t yet available, but this story will be updated as more details surface.