Off the back of a weekend that saw three major releases – the Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro high 85 Varsity red, Nike SB Dunk StrangeLove and Nike Dunk Low Plum – all of which sold out within minutes of their 8am GMT release, of which I personally took a solid three L’s trying to cop all of them – we are once again preparing for another release from Nike for the upcoming weekend.

This time, to celebrate the NBA all-star weekend featuring captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nike are dropping a new colourway AJ1 that combines two of the most iconic designs of the past, the “UNC” and the “Chicago”.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this is a colourway for the ladies. The new “UNC to Chi” look is releasing in women’s sizes and is the main component of 2020’s All-star Women’s component. Usually playing second fiddle to the men’s footwear at this time, the women’s AJ1 “UNC to Chi” is set to be the standout look that commemorates MJ’s career trajectory from his college days in UNC to his most successful stint at professional level with the Chicago Bulls.

The look

The UNC to Chi combines two fan favourite colourways, the Red & Black Chicago look and the Varsity Blue. Constructed from tumbled leather the look is predominantly black sectione doff with a red toe box, tongue and outsole with Powder Blue heel and swoosh. A White midsole sits between the red outsole and black upper.

Combining iconic dark and light colourways is always a risk, but Nike’s choice to opt for a predominantly more “Chi” than “UNC” shoe means that the lighter features simply add to the darker colourway without the two having to do battle for their place on the roster.   

The AJ1 “UNC to Chi” drop this Friday 13th February with a price tag of $170 (£130). You can get a hold of a pair from 8:00am GMT on the Nike SNKRSapp as well as in a number of select retailers. If you miss out, check out Laced’s online trainer’s platform for the best resale prices.