In 1978, Nike co-founder and Chairman Phil Knight was traveling in Japan when he came across a pair of basketball shoes that piqued his interest. The shoes were made by the Onitsuka Tiger company and were called the Jordan Brand.Knight was impressed with the quality of the shoes and asked Onitsuka Tiger's president, Kihachiro Onitsuka, if he could bring them back to the United States. Onitsuka agreed, and in November 1979, Nike began selling the Jordan I model in America.
The Jordan I was an immediate success, thanks in part to its innovative design. The shoe featured a full-grain leather upper with perforations for breathability, as well as a padded collar for comfort. It also had a rubber sole with herringbone traction pattern for better grip on the court.
However, it was the man who lent his name to the shoe that helped make it a household name: Michael Jordan. At the time, Jordan was a rookie guard for the Chicago Bulls and was quickly making a name for himself with his spectacular play. In February 1985, just months after signing an endorsement deal with Nike, Jordan wore his new shoes while playing against rival Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored an impressive 28 points en route to leading the Bulls to victory.
From there, Jordan's association with Nike and the Jordan Brand took off. Today, more than 35 years later, Air Jordans are still among the most popular sneakers on the market (and command high resale prices). And all because Phil Knight took a chance on an unknown Japanese shoe company back in 1978.