The billions Michael Jordan has amassed through his shoe brand, " Air Jordan ," are a testament to his success and global fame, made possible by his legendary NBA career. But it came at a cost that went beyond money.
In December 2011, Jordan and Nike brought back and released the Air Jordan XI Concords. The shoes paid homage to the 1995-1996 NBA season, when Jordan steered the dynastic Chicago Bulls to a 72-10 record, a mark broken by the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
The shoe company only released Jordan XIs, which are worth around $180, once a year, and the Concords were its highly anticipated drop for 2011. For the die-hard MJ fans and shoe enthusiasts, this meant war, leading to chaos nationwide and resulting in violence, hysteria, death and ultimately arrests.
However, it seemed that Jordan and Nike remained mum about the issue, which didn't sit right with ESPN's Jemele Hill, prompting her to write a commentary piece .
Hill listed several incidents in her commentary that captured the nationwide frenzy that ensued after the release. According to her, there were fights, vandalism, stabbings and even shootings. These happened in various places across the country, including the streets, malls and movie theaters.
This type of craziness had been going on since Jordan's opposition erupted in the 90s. And Hill could not help but express her dismay that the six-time champion had not worked out a more responsible business strategy with Nike.
For her, Jordan should know a thing or two about the violence in black communities. He should do his part to help mitigate it, especially when it was tied to him. That's why Jemele was disappointed that Michael didn't personally address this problem.
"Jordan is one of the most universally beloved athletes of all time, and he has profited considerably from the black community's unconditional support," she wrote . "By not addressing this lingering violence, he seems to be making clear that he's only interested in the black community if it can enhance his financial empire."
Nike did not go completely silent on the issue, but it was a little too tame for Hill's taste. In a statement provided by the Jordan Brand's spokesman Brian Facchini to USA Today, the company simply expressed concern and highlighted the importance of safety.
"We are extremely concerned to hear of the reported crowd incidents around the launch of the Air Jordan XI at some select retail locations," Facchini said. "Consumer safety and security is of paramount importance. We encourage anyone wishing to purchase our product to do so in a respectful and safe manner."
Jordan, on the other hand, stayed true to his reputation of staying out of controversial issues. For most of his career, the legendary shooting guard was the face of the NBA. Among the expectations for that ceremonial title is being outspoken, especially on social and political issues.
However, MJ said he did not want to sell negative news, understanding the consequences it poses for him as a public figure, a mindset his father instilled in him . For Hill, though, this meant that Jordan was focused solely on the profit.
"In light of the most recent chaos, it seems Jordan looked at how his shoes' popularity lined his pockets with money and opted not to reevaluate anything," she said. "Air Jordans have generated billions of dollars for Nike. Asking for some corporate responsibility and a conscience doesn't seem like too much."
It's 2026, and it seems that the tradition of releasing Jordan Xis once a year still lives on, bringing with it the same frenzy, chaos and violence that have long followed each drop.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
