After the great success of the Air Jordan 3, it was hard to imagine how Nike could top or even come close to the success of the 3s. But with Tinker Hatfield being the designer of the shoe, it was most certainly gonna happen.
The Air Jordan 4 was released in 1989 and changed the history of shoes. The Air Jordan 4 stands out as one of the more popular sneakers from the Jordan collection because it features an innovative design that had not been used before. This shoe features straps on each side of the shoe, which gives ankle support for the player. It also features the air sole, which adds cushion and comfort while a player is using the shoe in a game. The Air Jordan 4 definitely revolutionized the sneaker game forever due to its bold new concept.
This sneaker was Hatfield’s second Air Jordan design (the 1st obviously being the AJ III). The design of the Jordan 4 didn’t stray too far away from the Jordan 3. The visible Air unit and the mid-cut height that was present in the AJ3 was present in the 4’s as well. However the 4 was bit lighter in weight than the 3. The Jordan 4 was the sneaker that introduced the “Flight” concept to the Air Jordan line.
During the Eastern Conference Finals, Jordan hit one of his most memorable shots against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 5. With only a few seconds remaining, Jordan took the last shot that won the bulls the game. The iconic shot left behind the photo of Jordan shooting the last shot in the air. In that game he used the “Bred 4s,” and that shot alone made the Air Jordan 4s more popular than before.
Ten years after its initial release, the Air Jordan 4 returned as a retro in 1999. It released in the beloved “Bred” and “White Cement” colorways. At the end of the day, I think we can all agree with the fact that the Jordan 4 played a major role in establishing the Air Jordan line’s status as the coolest and most important sneaker in the world.