When Michael Jordan left the NBA (as a player) for good in 2003, ending his career with the Washington Wizards, Nike took out a full page ad in newspapers to mark the moment. The ad, published on April 20, 2003, took the form of a letter to the game of basketball penned by Jordan himself. That tribute is the inspiration behind the new duo of Air Jordan 13s pictured here.
The sneakers feature "Love and Respect" detailing across their uppers, a nod to Jordan's sign off of "much love and respect" that ended the letter.
The Air Jordan 13 "Love and Respect" colorways—a white for men and a black for women—release in China on Oct. 1. There is no info available yet around a possible U.S. Jordan release date.
