Unforgettable History of the Air Jordan 4 Bred Reimagined

The Air Jordan 4 is always a sneaker that collectors want to see return. Back when the Air Jordan IV “Black Cement” returned in 2019, I wrote up a piece for a site called air.jordan.com. That site has since been taken down, but now that Jordan Brand is bringing back the Air Jordan 4 Black/Cement as the Air Jordan 4 Bred Reimagined with premium leather instead of nubuck, I thought it would be worth sharing what I wrote about one of Michael Jordan’s most popular sneakers of all time. Here’s a look back at what made the Air Jordan IV such an iconic model back in 1989.

Crunch Time

May 7^th, 1989

Three seconds.

For just three seconds, all the Cleveland Cavs had to do was lock down Michael Jordan. They had the squad to do it, too: Harper, Price, Nance, Daugherty, and of course, Ehlo.

Up 100-99 with three seconds left, the Cavaliers should have taken down the Chicago Bulls back in Round 1 of the 1989 Playoffs. The Cavs had the better record against the Bulls heading into the playoffs. In fact, they beat Chicago all six times they played during the regular season. Cleveland’s dominance began to crumble during that playoff series, as the two chippy Eastern Conference rivals battled back and forth in the first round. It all came down to a fifth and deciding game to determine who would move on to face the Knicks.

At home for Game 5, in front of the raucous, venomous Cleveland fans, the Cavs enforced their will on the Bulls. Of course, Jordan’s squad did not back down. In the final three minutes, the lead changed six times. With Cleveland down 99-98, Craig Ehlo drove to the lane and made an acrobatic layup to give the Cavs the lead. It looked like the Cavs had won it, and Ehlo was the hero.

Except there were still three seconds left.

The Shot

During the timeout, Coach Doug Collins drew up a play for center Dave Corzine to take the last shot, thinking the Cavs wouldn’t expect it. Jordan of course was furious. He slapped Collins’ clipboard and yelled, “Just give me the fuckin’ ball!” Collins then drew up a new play with Jordan getting the inbounds pass.

As they walked onto the floor, Jordan told teammate Craig Hodges he was making that shot.

Through three defenders, the Bulls’ Brad Sellers made a perfect pass to the streaking Jordan. Slipping past Larry Nance, Jordan caught the ball, dribbled twice heading towards the foul line, and leapt into the air. Hanging there long enough so that Ehlo couldn’t block his shot, Jordan pumped in the air and let the ball fly just as the buzzer sounded.

You know the rest: Ballgame. Fist pumps.

“I still don’t know how he fit all that into three seconds,” recalled Cavs center Brad Daugherty, who played with Jordan at UNC.

It was a truly remarkable shot, and Jordan of course was ecstatic. He credited his focus to a pregame locker room ritual that included listening to Giving You The Best That I Got, by Anita Baker: a song that inspired Jordan and his teammates to give it their all because they had nothing to lose. “We’re going to New York, baby.” the 26-year-old Jordan confidently proclaimed after the victory.

The Air Jordan 4 Bred Reimagined

On Jordan’s feet during that magical moment was a black and red sneaker called the Air Jordan IV. Jordan had been wearing the model half of the ’88-‘89 season, and the shoe certainly seemed to elevate his game.

After striving for elegance and sophistication with the Air Jordan III, designer Tinker Hatfield opted for a more utilitarian approach with the IV. Though the Air Jordan III and IV had some similarities, they also were different in several key ways. For example, to enhance performance, Hatfield added “over-molded” mesh paneling for breathability. This new technology allowed the foot to breathe more compared to sneakers with leather panels.

The Air Jordan IV also featured multiport lacelocks and wings, which had extra holes on each side of the shoe for a more tailored fit. The sneaker could be laced in different patterns for a more customized look. In addition to the lace customization, the words ‘Air Jordan’ were stitched inside the tongue upside down. Wearers could flip the tongue down (kind of like the way Jordan stuck his tongue out) so that ‘Air Jordan’ could be read right side up.

Michael Jordan first laced up his new model for the All-Star Game on February 12^th, 1989 in Houston, Texas. Just like the previous year, Nike dropped commercials featuring Jordan and Spike Lee, aka Mars Blackmon, during the game. And also like the previous year, Nike printed an ad in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue that month. It was also the first global release for an Air Jordan model.

While Jordan’s debut of the AJIV Black/Cement was memorable, hitting “The Shot” against Cleveland made the shoe a classic. Over the last thirty years, the Air Jordan IV has become one of the most beloved silhouettes of all time. In May 2019, the OG Air Jordan IV Black/Cement returned for its 30^th anniversary. Dressed in the original black, cement grey and fire red colorway, the IV featured a remastered black nubuck upper with cement grey detailing with fire red accents. On the heel was the original ‘Nike Air’ branding. You could find the Air Jordan IV online and in retailers May 4^th for $220. But they didn’t last long.