Designing a new Air Jordan is a challenging process. Jordan Brand has to do whatever it takes to keep it at the forefront of innovation while withstanding the inevitable comparisons to the “golden era” of Jordans that reigned during MJ’s active tenure in the NBA. Is it true that no basketball sneaker will be as heralded as the Air Jordan III or the Air Jordan XI? Perhaps, but it’s unfair to pit the new age against the old because Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith are always looking to create something outstandingly unheard of and completely new.Now, that may sound like a contradiction because after all, the Air Jordan XXX uses the same midsole as the Air Jordan XX9, save a few differences measured in millimeters. The reason for this midsole reprising its role is that Russell Westbrook and Jordan Brand’s other key athletes didn’t want it to change at all, and the Flight Plate technology on the XX9 was in fact widely lauded as one of the best cushioning designs ever and shelving it already might’ve been somewhat of a waste.
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