nike mens air force 1 basketball shoe size 8 nike originally released in 1982, the nike air force 1 was the first nike model to feature "air" technology. this legendary basketball sneaker was designed by bruce kilgore, and named after the aircraft that carries the president of the united states, the air force one. the air force 1 is nike's most popular sneaker to date, has been produced in nearly 2,000 different colorways, and is available in low, mid, and high-top models.