A Cult Classic Air Jordan Sneaker Returns After 12 Years

As a general rule, the most popular Air Jordan sneakers are usually the styles that were worn on the NBA court by Michael Jordan himself. Of course, there are exceptions, such as the “Royal” Air Jordan 1, “Grape” Air Jordan 5 and “Aqua” Air Jordan 8 — all of which are among the most popular colorways Jordan didn’t actually play in. Then there are other, more obscure pairs like the “Olive” Air Jordan 9, which was never fully embraced by sneaker enthusiasts during its original early 1990s run, but has become something of a “if you know, you know” cult classic in recent years.

As earth tones and neutrals continue to be dominant footwear trends, the “Olive” Air Jordan 9 Retro is experiencing a second (or more technically, fourth) life. First launched in 1993, the drab colorway was rereleased for the first time in 2002 and again 10 years later in 2012.

Its upper is composed of black leather while olive nubuck wraps from the mudguard to the heel. Red accents are limited to branding on the tongue, heel, insole and outsole.

Jordan Brand capitalized on the rugged look of the “Olive” Air Jordan 9 by releasing a boot variation of the shoe in 2017. The pair was updated with durable materials and elements inspired by Nike’s Special Field Boot including metal eyelets and a grippy outsole. 

Most recently, the brand referenced the original Air Jordan 9 “Olive” colorway with the launch of a “Light Olive Concord” look in 2023. That style featured the same black-and-olive color blocking of the original, but swapped out its red accents for concord purple and aqua blue.

And now after 12 years, the Air Jordan 9 “Olive” will return in its original form. The pair is scheduled for a Nov. 16 release from SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers for $210. Readers can find a detailed look at the upcoming release below.