‘Air Jordan’ Book Celebrates Legacy Of MJ’s Sneaker Empire

Assouline’s lavish coffee table tome honors 40 years of Jordan Brand with 438 images across 360 pages.

In the four decades since Nike launched the Air Jordan I to coincide with Michael Jordan’s NBA rookie season, the iconic sneaker silhouette has spawned a footwear empire worth billions. Air Jordan and MJ’s intertwined legacies are the subject of a new coffee table book by luxury publisher Assouline, and Jordan himself teases what readers can expect: “Sorry to disappoint you, but this is not a book about the game of basketball,” Jordan writes. “Instead, it’s a celebration. A celebration of 40 years of greatness.”

Through six chapters—a nod to Jordan’s six NBA championships—the tome presents a treasure trove of exclusive content, including a curation of visuals and interviews with insiders like Howard “H” White and Larry Miller; Jordan Brand president Sarah Mensah; and trusted advisers to Michael Jordan. There are also myriad contributions from celebrities, such as Carmelo Anthony, Napheesa Collier, Luka Dončić, Jalen Hurts, Spike Lee, and Jayson Tatum. A never-before-published photo of Jordan by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz also appears among the publication’s 438 images and 360 pages.

As with other Assouline titles, Air Jordan will get a limited run of 1,000 hand-numbered copies featuring a host of exclusive touches, including an intricately tooled clamshell with an Air Jordan logo and elaborate Baroque-style ornamentation. Buyers of the “Ultimate Edition” will also be treated to Jordan Brand’s first bespoke non-sneaker fashion accessory: an Italian-made oversized silk scarf, exclusive to this limited-edition release and featuring the Jumpman logo.

Priced from $2,300 for the Ultimate edition and $123 for the Classic format—the figures referencing Jordan’s No. 23 jersey number—Assouline’s Air Jordan is available to purchase now.