Over the years, the Jordan brand has been clearly defined by its different generations.
Following Michael Jordan’s revolutionary impact on the sneaker world, in 1997, Team Jordan was launched around Ray Allen, Michael Finley, Eddie Jones, Vin Baker and Derek Anderson wearing custom PEs.
In 2024, the brand has a roster of iconic athletes, headlined by some of the league’s brightest young stars in Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and Jayson Tatum, each with their own signature sneaker on the market.
But in 2003, the day after Jordan’s final retirement, the brand found itself at a crossroads in search of a new face to wear the Jumpman logo.
Nike made a splash that summer by signing Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Anthony. With Wade and Bosh chosen to be the face of Converse, Jordan decided to make Anthony the face of Jordan Brand.
After winning a national title with Syracuse – where he wore the Air Jordan XVIII – Anthony signed a six-year contract with Jordan worth $3.5 million per year.
In what was the largest contract Jordan ever gave to another athlete, Anthony captured the attention of youngsters with his bucket-loading game and off-court style, and was quickly given his first signature shoe, the Jordan Melo 1.5 — a sneaker Anthony says to this day is his favorite from his line.
“I have to say the 1.5. The 1.5 was special because it represented something new and fresh that was coming to the NBA and the sneaker industry,” Anthony said during an appearance at Foot Locker QV in Melbourne.
“In 2002, the sneaker industry was totally different, you wore certain sneakers and you were identified by what you had on your feet.
“When I came into the Jordan Brand as our first signature athlete, it was just a new energy that we brought to the Jordan Brand, to the fans and to the world.
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“Coming out with a powder blue, Denver Nugget 1.5, and that color was never sold anywhere else. People were looking at me like, ‘What the hell is this?’”
“But it was a hit, and the fact that it was a hit like that, and it wasn’t a black pair, it was a powder blue and white pair, it was a tough sell in 2004 when we released them, so I would say my Melo 1.5 is a staple of the beginning and the genesis of everything I had going on.”
Since Melo’s arrival in the league, he has released 13 signature sneakers with Jordan, while the brand has also created signature models for Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.
Now, in 2024, Jordan Brand has a strong foothold in the league with Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, New Orleans Pelicans powerhouse Zion Williamson and reigning Boston Celtics champion Jayson Tatum all having released signature sneakers under the Jumpman name in recent years — a stable of athletes Anthony is proud to have laid the foundation for.
“It’s nice to have this list, I don’t think there are many other brands that have this type of list right now,” Anthony said. THE Jugo Mobile.
“Jordan has a solid team right now as far as the players and the young guys they have on the roster.
“It’s good to see them have their own lane. It’s good to see Luka doing what he does, Jayson doing what he does, Zion doing what he does. There’s a good energy there with the Jordan Brand right now.”
While Michael Jordan will always be the face of Jordan Brand, Carmelo Anthony’s legacy with the Jumpman remains the most iconic of this generation of players.
