90s kids across the globe have been waiting in anticipation for the new Space Jam featuring Lebron James to release for a while. After what feels like years of teasers and trailers, the day is finally upon us. Will the film live up to the hype of the original featuring Michael Jordan? maybe not. However, the discussion around what movie produced the better sneaker moments is far more intriguing.
OG sneakerheads will undoubtedly lean into MJ’s corner on this battle, whilst the new school may well side with Lebron James and the latest releases we have seen to honour the movie.
We look at the most influential sneaker moments from the ’95 and the most recent release of Space Jam.
Air Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’, 1995.
The only place to start this list is with the iconic Air Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’. The exact sneaker Jordan would team up with the Tune Squad to attempt to defeat the Monstars. Fans of the movie will remember their intro to the sneaker, with MJ stepping onto the basketball court in the brand new model. A Loony Tune’d crowd went wild, as did sneakerheads watching the film, wondering what sneaker Jordan had on.
Since the film, the Air Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’ has seen many re-releases, even dropping in kids sizes to give the whole family a chance to rock the iconic silhouette. If you are heading to see Space Jam 2 any time soon and own a pair of these AJ11s, we recommend rocking them to let everyone know you have been a part of the Space Jam movement since the beginning.
Don’t own a pair? Click here to find your size on Laced.
Nike Lebron 19 ‘Space Jam’, 2021.
The comparisons between MJ and LBJ have been happening for years due to the duos incredible basketball careers. Well, the comparisons look to continue as James follows suit and looks set to debut the brand-new Nike Lebron 19 in Space Jam 2. For the past twenty years, Lebron has debuted his signature sneakers on the hardwood floors. However, this time around, Nike joined forces with Warner Bros to unveil the sneaker on the big screen.
Information around the Lebron 19 is hard to come by right now, although we know the sneaker will have a double-chambered Air Max unit alongside a Zoom Air forefoot unit. The colourway draws clear inspiration from the movies uniforms, with orange, blue and grey featuring throughout the sneakers design.
Although this may be the first time Nike has unveiled a basketball sneaker in a movie, it isn’t the first sneaker to be teased through a film. Back in 1989, Back to the Future II character Marty McFly would wear the Nike MAG, a futuristic self-lacing shoe. Fast-forward to 2011, and the sneaker would finally release, becoming one of the most expensive silhouettes of all time on the resale marketplace.
There is no release date set for the Lebron 19 ‘Space Jam’ yet, but we imagine it won’t be long before the shoe hits shelves.
Nike Air Force 1 Low Hare Space Jam, 2021.
Perhaps the most wearable Space Jam sneaker to come out of the movie’s release is the Air Force 1 ‘Hare’ silhouette. Although not officially featuring in the film, the simplistic design paired with the legendary images of Lola and Bugs Bunny make this shoe a must-cop for any fans of Space Jam.
A Light Blue Fury hue contrasts tumbled white leather underlays, with a suede Swoosh and Nike Air branding also featuring in the eye-catching colour. You will find Lola on the swoosh of the left sneaker, whilst Bugs can be seen slam-dunking his way onto the right shoe. You can also find both of the Loony Tunes characters on the tongue of the sneakers.
The crisp white and blue colourway references the OG Tune Squad uniforms, with the AF1 ‘Hare’ coming in a full size run from kids up to adults, meaning the entire family can sport the shoe when heading to the cinema. The perfect sneakerhead family silhouette.
So there you have it, three iconic sneaker moments to come out of the two Space Jam releases that we love. Of course, some honourable mentions deserve a shoutout, such as the Nike Foamposite ‘Space Jam’, released back in 2018.
However, for our money, the three silhouettes above are the ones that deserve the most shine on movie release day.