Michael Jordan’s Fan Favorite Air Jordan 8 ‘Aqua’ Is Returning for the First Time in a Decade

The Air Jordan 8 “Aqua” is beloved by a large number of sneakerheads despite multiple factors weighing against it. Michael Jordan himself wasn’t a big fan of the model, as it was prone to overheating and was believed to be responsible for his athlete’s foot in the season he wore them. The “Aqua” colorway also didn’t conform to his Chicago Bulls uniform, leaving the 1993 NBA All-Star Game as the only occasion he’d wear it in a competitive setting.

Even with these demerits, the Air Jordan 8 “Aqua” will return in July with a nontrivial amount of excitement to great it. The release will mark the first for the shoe since 2015 and fourth drop overall following the 2007 retro and 1993 launch. Few photos have leaked even with the release just weeks away, but what can be seen is that the shoe will maintain its original black and gray upper while doing away with the glittery effect on the midsole that is original but nonetheless has its detractors.

The 2007 retro for the Air Jordan 8 deviated from the OG by rendering its nubuck upper entirely in black rather than black and gray. Beside that and the sparkles, though, Jordan Brand has been relatively consistent in faithful re-executions of the shoe’s appearance from 1993.

Jordan wore the Air Jordan 8 during the 1992-1993 season, which saw him complete his first three-peat, and the Tinker Hatfield-designed sneaker is well known for its criss-crossed straps and chenille Jumpman logo. An abstract graphic on the midsole is unmistakably ’90s, and the inner bootie functions much like that of the Air Huarache, also designed by Hatfield.

During the regular season, Jordan favored the white-based colorway now referred to as “Bugs Bunny.” He then switched to its black counterpart for the post-season, and its aptly been dubbed the “Playoffs” colorway.

The Air Jordan 8 “Aqua” will release July 19 through the Snkrs app and select third-party retailers. Full family sizing will be available, with men’s priced at $215.