Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG - "Highlight Reel"

It might just be the history nerd in me talking, but the art of storytelling is one of my favorite things about collecting sneakers. It's amazing to me how people can get a look into significant events in the lives of the athletes we follow by checking out a simple mix of colors on shoes. I don't how much it means to everyone else, but it's definitely a big factor for me when it comes to making a shoe purchase.

The Jordan "Formidable Foes" Pack is built on storytelling. It's a series of Air Jordan 1's done up in the colorways of some of the greatest teams to ever challenge the GOAT on the hardwood. So far, we've seen the release pairs paying tribute to the Boston Celtics, Seattle Supersonics, and the Phoenix Suns. I'm waiting on The Orlando Magic pair to release, but I couldn't pass up a chance to pick these bad boys up.

Now while the "OG" tag may be questionable, there's no questioning the story behind these shoes. The "Highlight Reel" Air Jordan 1s are a fitting nod to what I think is still the greatest Slam Dunk Contest rivalry in NBA History - Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins.

I wasn't around to see their All-Star Weekend batles, but I certainly think the AJ1 serves as a great canvas to bring people back to the Slam Dunk Contest of 1988 (which I think Dominique would have won if it wasn't held in Chicago). The ever-popular Black/Red combo gets a nice punch of yellow on the swoosh, sole, and inner lining - nicely mixing the colorways of both the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. However, the real detail that sets these apart from the other members of Formidable Foes pack is the tonal film strip graphic that covers the toe box and side panels of the shoe - nicely referencing Dominique Wilkins' "Human Highlight Film" nickname.

Execution wise, I really like how the entire shoe was done. The film strips aren't too obnoxious and only really get noticed once you get past the striking colorway. And for purists, the "Nike Air" tab on the tongue is always nice to have. It's like owning a crazy pair of customs.

Pick up a pair at Titan 22! And for folks like me who never got to see a Golden Moment in the history of Basketball live (at least on their TV screens), check out this refresher below.