The Air Jordan 9 "Space Jam" now has an official release date. Jordan Brand confirmed the pair drops September 19th for $215. It was originally planned for an earlier date this summer, but Nike pushed things back to align with a bigger fall rollout.
This marks the 6th retro of the classic colorway since it debuted in 1993. White leather covers most of the upper. Black leather wraps the mudguard and climbs up to the collar. True Red accents hit the tongue, heel "23," and Jumpman branding underfoot.
The 2026 version also gets updated shaping. Jordan Brand is bringing the silhouette closer to the original 1993 build instead of the more rounded retro shape used in recent years. That kind of attention to detail matters to longtime collectors chasing an accurate pair.
Special packaging is coming with this release as well. The shoe arrives in Tune Squad themed box art, tying directly into the sneaker's connection to the film. It's a nice touch for a release built entirely around nostalgia.
Air Jordan 9 "Space Jam"
Michael Jordan never wore the Air Jordan 9 on an actual NBA court. He was between basketball and baseball when the shoe released in 1993. Instead, its biggest moment came three years later on the big screen.
In the 1996 film Space Jam, Jordan laces up this exact pair inside Tune World. He wears them during the training montage, warming up on a Looney Tunes court before the Monstars showdown. That scene is where the "Space Jam" nickname was born.
This year's release lines up with the film's 30th anniversary. Jordan Brand is treating the moment as a bigger celebration too, with the Air Jordan 11 "Space Jam" also returning later this year for the holiday season.
The Air Jordan 9 never gets the same spotlight as the 11 from that movie. Fans who know the film best still remember the training montage the same way. Some grails aren't about game-worn history, they're about pure Hollywood nostalgia.
