Celebrate the Air Jordan 3 'Georgetown' Release With the Best College-Themed Retros

Historically, going to college on a sports scholarship meant top notch tutors and a free meal plan at the best athletic institutions. For years, being an all-star amateur also meant getting access to exclusive sneakers that were reserved solely for those who played for the program. However, over the course of the last decade, collegiate colorways that were once only available to a chosen few are now seeing more frequent releases.

Take for instance this spring’s Air Jordan 3 ‘Georgetown.’ Pulling inspiration from the player exclusives once gifted to the players and personnel at the DC program, these rarities are now inspiring shoes made for the fans that will never see their stats in a box score. Celebrating the college colorways that have touched down at retail in recent years, here are some of the best school-inspired sneakers you can buy now at GOAT.

When Peter Moore created the Nike Dunk, the intent was simple: bring color to the college court. Just as he had done with the boldly blocked Air Jordan 1 in the NBA game, the Dunk was designed to defy convention while emphasizing identity.

35 years after the Dunk’s debut, Nike now has new schools on their roster and a modern generation of hoopers cutting down the nets while repping the Swoosh. Celebrating the Nike-sponsored Virginia Cavaliers and their 2019 NCAA Championship, this 2020 Dunk drop brought school shades to the classic silhouette, adding golden tongue tagging to signal the team’s best in show status.

The Michigan Wolverines made history in 2015 when Jordan Brand signed the Ann Arbor institution as the first football team to endorse the Jumpman logo. Inking a 15-year deal worth a whopping $169 million, the Jim Harbaugh-coached program soon saw that the perks of getting gifted by Michael Jordan went far beyond cleats.

This proved true in 2017, when a Public School x Air Jordan 12 PE was created exclusively for the football team, bringing runway rarities to the college campus. A year later, Jordan Brand blessed the school’s fans without assistance from Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne. Taking the suede styling and logo-stamped tongue of the once exclusive collaboration, Jordan Brand released a revised version of the Air Jordan 12 to the public in 2018.

Michael Jordan didn’t attend the University of Oregon but Phil Knight sure did. During Knight’s reign as head honcho of the Swoosh, the lifelong Duck made good on his glory days by outfitting the school’s athletic programs in the best his umbrella of brands had to offer.

Over time, the celebrated Shoe Dog saw the power of selling Oregon-colored sneakers at retail as seen by 2020’s Air Jordan 5 in “Apple Green.” Removing MJ’s logo on the heel in favor of archival Nike team sports branding, sneakerheads without a diploma from Eugene got the chance to consider themselves honorary Oregon alumni.

The adidas UltraBoost 1.0 ranks as one of the most celebrated running shoes of all time. While its Primeknit upper and Boost cushioning captivated the masses, exclusive college colorways soon became bargaining chips when it came to recruiting in both football and basketball.

In 2020, this Louisville Cardinal colorway became available to those without a Rivals ranking, sporting team tones across the upper and bird branding on the tongue.

As a freshman phenom at North Carolina, a young man by the name of Mike Jordan delivered Dean Smith his first NCAA title by sinking a game-winning jumper. Fast forward 40 years, and the grown man now known as His Airness sees his namesake logo on not just North Carolina’s powder blue basketball uniforms but also on the football team’s threads.

In 2018, Michael made all athletes envious by giving the UNC football team PE pairs of the Air Jordan 3 complete with powder blue accents and branded with the school’s iconic logo. A few pairs of the team exclusive made their way to the aftermarket, easily fetching thousands of dollars and turning millions of heads. Later showing love to the Chapel Hill cheering section—not just the football team—Jordan Brand released this 2020 take as a worthy ringer to the PE pair.

When Sonny Vaccaro was cashing out college coaches to have their team wear Nikes in the ’80s, one name out West was more than willing to answer the call. Coach Jerry Tarkanian, a longtime friend of Vacarro, was steadily beating the heat in the desert, coaching the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels into Final 4s thanks to his fast style of play.

Taking the towel out of his mouth just long enough to talk with Sonny, Tark agreed to have his players wear Nikes and the rest was history. Throughout the late ’80s, the leaping Las Vegas ball club would don UNLV’s red and grey Nike Dunks, which came back with vintage touches for their high top form in 2016.

Since releasing his inaugural signature shoe with Nike, Texas tones have touched Kevin Durant’s line in homage to his alma mater. The Nike Zoom KD 4 “Texas” brought burnt orange all over the upper, branding the tongue with the Longhorn logo for good measure.

When it came to Big 12 basketball action, fans at the Frank Erwin Center could see Austin’s amaeteur all-stars sporting this team-themed player exclusive on court in 2012. Thanks to a limited retail release, they could see them on their own feet, too.

In the early ’80s, Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan were more than just standouts at the famous Five Star Basketball Camp. They were both prospects pined for by the University of North Carolina. While the two got the chance to rub elbows and butt heads on a weekend visit to Chapel Hill, Ewing would eventually choose John Thompson and the Georgetown Hoyas for his college career.

In a matter of months, Mike and Pat would meet again at the 1982 NCAA Championship Game. Jordan may have walked away with the win, but Ewing would earn his respect. Decades later, the recruits saw their story come full circle in 2017 as Pat took over the Hoyas basketball program, which is famously sponsored by Jordan Brand. In 2018, Mike would place Pat in a PE pair of his famous Air Jordan 3s, set to grey suede and school branding. Now, in 2021, Jordan is releasing an inverted take on the Hoya exclusive, nuanced in navy tumbled leather with cement grey contrast.

All sneakers available now on GOAT.