Here’s Your First Look at the Air Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement’ Sneaker Returning in September

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Retailer images have been revealed for the highly anticipated return of the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” in November.

The Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” will release while staying true to its original form from 1988. Jordan Brand have faithfully recreated the nearly 40-year-old details, including the all-important “Nike Air” logo on the mustache rather than the Jumpman logo that was used for the 2011 Retro. The shoe has only been rereleased on three other occasions — in 1994, 2001 and 2018 — the latter of which brought back Nike Air mark that sneakerheads had been asking for.

“Black Cement” is one of four original colorways for the Air Jordan 3 and tends to be the most heralded. Despite its acclaim, the only time Michael Jordan ever wore on the court was during the 1988 NBA All-Star Game. Instead, Jordan wore the “White Cement” edition during the regular season and “Fire Red” for the playoffs. The last remaining OG colorway, “True Blue,” didn’t appear on his feet during a game until 2001, when he was playing for the Washington Wizards.

The Air Jordan 3 marked the beginning of the legendary designer Tinker Hatfield’s work on the Air Jordan line, and it was both the first to feature a visible Air unit and the Jumpman logo. Having been unhappy with the Air Jordan 2, Jordan was considering leaving Nike upon his first contract expiring. But the AJ3 helped convince him to stay, and his own input informed the shoe’s three-quarter mid-cut for better ankle freedom and the more supple pebbled leather than what Jordan considered too stiff on the Air Jordan 2. For the shoe’s marketing, Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon was also first introduced.

Just this week, a cleated version of the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” was released for baseball and worn by Aaron Judge, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and William Contreras during the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

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The Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” will release November 23 through the Snkrs app and select third-party retailers. Full family sizing will be available, with men’s pairs priced at $220.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

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