Basketball legend Michael Jordan's relationship with his alma mater, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, is one of the coolest partnerships in sports. As a Nike and Jordan Brand school, UNC regularly gets the best gear that Jumpman has to offer.
Fans often drool over the basketball team's rare kicks, and no one does a better job of sharing sneak peeks at the unreleased sneakers than Jaelynn Murray Burrus. She is the Director of Women's Basketball and a beloved figure among sneakerheads.
Murray Burrus has plenty of incredible unboxing videos, but her latest Instagram post is generating serious hype on social media. On Friday, she showed off a player-exclusive Air Jordan 12 "UNC Denim" colorway. Below is a detailed look and breakdown of the retro hoop shoes.
Air Jordan 12 "UNC Denim"
In her video, Murray Burrus shared detailed looks at the Air Jordan 12 "UNC Denim" colorway, which she referred to as a preseason player-exclusive model. She asked fans to rate the sneakers on a scale of 1-10 in the comments, and the consensus was overwhelmingly positive.
Thanks to the various looks at the shoes, we can see that the silhouette features a Carolina Blue upper with a denim mudguard.
Meanwhile, the iconic "NC" logo graces the tongues, with Jordan branding and a Tar Heels logo pop off the heels. The Metallic Gold eyelets further elevate the already premium design.
Will The Shoes Be Released?
Many fans in the comments wanted to know if the Air Jordan 12 "UNC Denim" colorway would be released to the public.
While Jordan Brand has dropped plenty of UNC-inspired sneakers over the years, it's highly unlikely that we'll get a true collaboration for general release. Especially as Nike plans to bench Jordan Brand more in 2027.
The shoes came in a standard black-and-gold Jordan Brand box, as is customary for player-exclusive shoes delivered to college athletic departments. We should expect to see Tar Heels athletes wearing them off the court soon.
Air Jordan 12 Shopping Options
Even if the Air Jordan 12 "UNC Denim" is unlikely to ever hit shelves, fans have a few amazing general-release colorways available online.
Currently, Ray Allen's player-exclusive colorway is available in Milwaukee Bucks colors. Plus, the fall-inspired "Fireside" colorway drops next week.
College basketball season is quickly approaching, and the Tar Heels will look fresh thanks to their most important alum. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NCAA and beyond.
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