Nike revolutionized the footwear industry with its 1983 release of the first Air Force One line. This shoe, which came with a technologically advanced air sole for advanced cushioning, was intended to offer advanced protection against the rigors of hard athletic activity. The original Air Force Ones came with aesthetically pleasing straps and design emblems and stitching, and it sold remarkably well to a public which was at first skeptical. During the 1980s, Michael Jordan became one of the most influential figures in the game of basketball--and the Air Force Ones gave way/morphed into the Air Jordans. Michael Jordan's phenomenal on-court play and his international legend helped spur sales of Nike Air Force Ones and drove the brand to crush its Reebok rivals. After Jordan performed exquisitely in the 1989 Playoffs for the Chicago Bulls, Reebok tried to muscle in on the market territory claimed by the Air Force One by putting forth a shoe called the Pump, which allowed users to adjust cushioning level by pressing a button on the side of the shoe. After Jordan first retired from the game in the mid '90s, the Air Force Ones legacy seemed threatened. Indeed, a whole host of NBA greats, such as Shaquille O'Neal and Scottie Pippen, tried to get in on the shoe merchandising game. To retrieve its brand dominance, Nike signed up high school phenom cum NBA star LeBron James to a $90 million merchandising deal for Air Zoom Air Forces. Today, Dunk and Air Force One shoes fight for fans of so-called throwback clothing.
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