Lately, Jordan Brand has been utilizing the Air Jordan 1 as a plate to serve up some tasty food-inspired recipes in an effort to change up the diet. From Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches to a classic burgers/fries/shake combo meal, we’ve seen all the major American staples get cooked. It was only a matter of time before a pizza themed Air Jordan 1 got its time in the oven, but there’s an added layer that goes beyond the classic detailing.
Pizza has a strange place in the legacy of Michael Jordan. If you recall, Jordan was hit with a mystery illness ahead of Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. Visibly distraught with a flu and severe symptoms, Jordan seemed like he’d be a shell of his usual self which gave Utah the opportunity to strike and go ahead 3-2 in that series. Instead, Michael Jordan pulled a Michael Jordan and had his best game of the series, willing the Bulls to victory and sealing the deal the following game.
While nobody knows why or how Jordan got sick, many point to the pizza he got delivered late at night on the eve of Game 5. As detailed in The Last Dance documentary, Jordan was hungry and ordered pizza delivery from the only restaurant that was open at the hour. He solo’d the entire pie and then spent the next 20 hours or so barfing into a bucket. The conspiracy is that the pizzeria knew that they were serving food to a player from the Chicago Bulls and tainted the the pizza in an effort to render the player out of commission. Jordan’s trainer Tim Grover recalled that five delivery men dropped off the one pizza, raising even more alarms.
Whether or not this Air Jordan 1 release goes that deep remains to be seen, but even Jordan Brand went all-in on the pizza storyline for All-Star Weekend back in 2023. For now, keep it tuned in to our Jordan Release Dates page to find out when these drop.
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