The Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG 'University Blue' Pays Tribute to Where It All Started
The classic silhouette arrives in a colorway inspired by the University of North Carolina.
The Air Jordan 1 has evolved into one of the most recognizable shoes in sneaker history. With a clean design that features both the Wings logo and a Swoosh, the AJ1 has been favored with basketball players, skaters and street style mainstays alike, becoming the most versatile shoe of today.
The Air Jordan 1 ‘University Blue’ is an essential for any AJ1 collector. Michael Jordan entered the University of North Carolina as a freshman for the 1981-1982 season and finished the year as an NCAA Champion. Leading the Tar Heels to a thrilling finish over the Georgetown Hoyas, Jordan hit what would be one of the many big shots in his history, sinking a jumper from the left wing with just 16 seconds left in the game.
Throughout MJ’s career, Jordan Brand has paid homage to his college days with many silhouettes adopting the school’s vivid colors. Official images of the sneaker highlight a white leather base with nubuck University Blue panels around the toe and heel area. Black accents the laces, Swoosh and Wings logo, adding solid contrast as well as matching UNC team colors. A white midsole is paired with a University Blue outsole, which features a multi-direction traction pattern and a pivot point under the forefoot.
The Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG ‘University Blue’ is available on the app and GOAT.com.
Air Jordan 1 High Retro ‘University Blue’ FAQs
Are there any new ‘University Blue’ releases?
'University Blue’ has been used as a colorway on other releases across Air Jordan and Nike silhouettes. It is often associated with the University of North Carolina, Michael Jordan’s alma mater. Recent and upcoming releases in a similar color include the:
What's the difference between 'University Blue' and 'UNC Toe' Air Jordan 1s?
The Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC Toe’ features black leather overlays around the toe box, with a University Blue toe. In contrast, the AJ1 ‘University Blue’ has University Blue overlays with a white toe. Additionally, ‘UNC Toe’ sports a black tongue compared to a white tongue on the ‘University Blue’ colorway. A more subtle difference is the lighter shade of blue used on the ‘University Blue’ iteration.
