North Carolina has a brand new Air Jordan 12, and it is made of denim. The Tar Heels revealed the player exclusive ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Overall, the design is bold. Light-wash blue denim covers the pleated panels that make the Air Jordan 12 so recognizable. A darker wash wraps the mudguard, which usually has a reptile texture.
Gold hardware and contrast stitching add some polish. UNC branding appears on the tongue and the heel. It gives the shoe a refined, almost Sunday-best look.
This is also a first for the model because the Air Jordan 12 has never been made in denim before. That makes this PE a very rare piece of Jordan history.
The photos came from Jaelynn Murray Burrus, UNC's director of women's basketball. She posted a video on Instagram showing the shoes up close and asked fans to rate them from one to ten. The reaction was very positive.
As with most player exclusives, there is no retail release planned. These pairs are meant for the team and staff. There is also no word on whether other Jordan Brand schools will get denim versions.
Air Jordan 12 “UNC” PE
UNC has a special relationship with Jordan Brand. Michael Jordan played for the Tar Heels in the early 1980s, and he hit the winning shot in the 1982 national championship game.
Because of that history, the school regularly gets some of the best player exclusives in college basketball. Further, this is not the first Air Jordan 12 for the Tar Heels. In 2023, the football team received a blue and white cleat version. This year, the basketball team gets a very different take.
The team also received an Air Jordan 10 PE last year, so the Tar Heels have had a busy sneaker run.
Denim is a risky choice for a sneaker. However, the light and dark blue mix works well with Carolina's colors. It is a smart way to stay on theme without repeating past designs.
