I've never been one to really delve into the world of sneaker performance. I expect my sneakers to perform at a high level, but the fact I stock up on Margielas that may or may not make my feet feel like they were in a wrestling match after a day of sitting at a desk kind of takes away some of that credibility. With sneakers, I'm all about the experiences that can come with them both on and off the court. Do they create opportunities for me to A) stunt on unsuspecting passersby until they recognize the real and/or B) ball out on herbs until they want to fight me? Luckily, last week in Chicago afforded me both of those opportunities as I spent a few hours in Michael Jordan's Highland Park home playing basketball in the new Air Jordan XX9 in his gym. Dreams come true for thugs, too, you know.
While the lot of us—16 writers, bloggers, and vloggers from across the country—were all prepared to take our talents to some random-ass gym in Chicago to test out Jordan's newest signature shoe, the anticipation to slip them on and give them the ol' college try was high for me. But when we pulled up to those infamous gates with that “23” on it, shit got really real. People weren’t just excited. They were speechless. I’m pretty sure Oscar Castillo of Modern Notoriety started to cry when we were told we were going to be playing on the same floor Michael Jordan trained on to prepare for his big 1995 comeback. And all of this while wearing one of the most anticipated signature shoes in recent memory.
Sneaker-wise, I was going into this Jordan weartest with a fairly clean slate. I have exclusively played in either Nike's signature LeBrons or Kobes the past six years. That is to say, I haven't played ball in a Jordan in almost eight years, and that was the retro Military IVs. And while playing college ball at Drake University, I exclusively wore adidas. So I’ve been nearly Jordan-less for 10-plus years. Last non-retro Jordan I wore? The XVIII when I played in the Jordan Capital Classic Regional Game in Washington D.C. back in 2003.
My feet have been conditioned to Nike's evolution of basketball performance technology: Tuned Air, Uptempo, Foamposite, Shox, Flywire. And I go along for the ride because I'm a Nike Basketball Stan with an appreciation for Jordan, but that might flip-flop as I’m introduced to the XX9 that has the simple essentials you want in a basketball shoe: style, comfort, traction and light weight.
I'm a Nike Basketball Stan with an appreciation for Jordan, but that might flip-flop as I’m introduced to the XX9.
Could my vision be clouded because—instead of some rando hardwood I'd be slippin' and slidin' on—we got to walk through maybe the second most famous gate right after Heaven’s? Or that we were led up through MJ’s guest house where Tiger Woods stayed for months after his cheating scandal? Or that we got to change in a boss-ass locker room with custom jerseys labeled with our Twitter handles? Or that we got treated like celebs by paparazzi-like photogs who were hiding in bushes and telling people to “Get the hell out of their way” so they could get “the shot?” No, why would you think such a thing?
2.
Complex News’ Sean Evans went to the event in NYC a few days back and gave a breakdown of the shoes’ actual features, including what could be my new favorite basketball shoe design in the one-piece performance woven uppers and Dynamic Fit System. They give just the right amount of protection and breathability while allowing it to mold to one’s foot as they’re worn. They also just looked tight as fuck, which meets one of my two prerequisites. But would they allow me to ball hard on herbs?
Well, there weren't a whole lot of herbs there at all, really. Before my arrival, I had plans to cook each and every dude who attended. I didn’t care if MJ was there himself, because I had that Marshawn Lynch Determination™. Playing college basketball has afforded me opportunities to psych myself up more than is necessary while psyching people out more than necessary before I even step on the court. People expect me to be the guy I was on the court back in 2003. I expect him, too, but I know damn well he ain’t ever coming back. So I don’t know who to expect, but I don’t really care at this point.
Then in strolls Mr. Foamer Simpson’s tall ass with his equally tall-ass brother, Charlie Buckets. OK, that’s fine. They’re tall. They have that going for them, and it will make the yammage on them even sweeter. Then you’ve got the youngins from KickGenius, Tre Good, and Jay Jones coming in all sprite and shit. It’s one thing to be tall because you’re quite possibly the most un-athletic person ever, but it’s another thing to be able to run up and down the court for three hours and still have energy to catch oops for a few minutes. Like aren’t you sore? Tired? Hungry? I’m so dehydrated that I’m copping migraines, and they’re doing backflips off the walls in MJ’s gym. The recklessness was apparent. Then dudes like Lance Fresh, George Kiel III, and Jacques Slade are ballin’ out when all I can think about is how am I, a dude living in Des Moines, Iowa, allowed in such a prestigious gym. I’m not worthy. I found myself wanting to prostrate on the Jumpman logo in the middle of games to give praise.
I probably don’t play up to my own standards, but that’s not to say I still didn’t at least look good. I mean, it’s hard to step out of LaLa Land within those circumstances. Could also be attributable to MJ’s signature steak the night before topped off with beer and a variety of cheeses. One thing I cannot attribute to my so-so play is the shoe. The XX9 allowed me to go and do whatever my aging body could muster. They were like little angels on the hardwood to help without me even noticing.
Alongside the comfortable uppers and strong traction, the biggest differentiator for this shoe was the Flight Plate. Much to the angst of all the dudes who were familiar with the XX8, the plate had moved mere centimeters up on the forefoot to cater to players like Russell Westbrook whose whole M.O. is based off explosiveness and generating energy to keep his quickness at supreme levels.
While there wasn’t a whole lot of “explosiveness” going on at this event, you could definitely feel the weight shift as you tried to take off laterally or vertically while using your body’s mass and force to your advantage. Things I not-so-long-ago relied on myself. So hearing those types of adjustments the Jordan team has made brought me back to a special place in my life—allowing me to really understand why a sneaker is made to cater to certain players. But it certainly doesn’t alienate someone who doesn’t have that type of continuity in their game, because the shoe was working just fine for those standing in the corner trying to pop off threes and dribble aimlessly.
This sneaker was made for me in my prime, but is also acceptable for me as I completely brick an opportunity to shine at MJ’s house. A shoe that adjusts with me is a shoe I, and everyone baller and wannabe baller I know, can get behind.
