There are several reference points to place the Air Jordan 3 “Katrina”. The most popular is its emergence in 2006. Produced to aid in relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, Jordan Brand auctioned off pairs and donated the proceeds to New Orleans residents and those in its surrounding areas, respectively. But even before Katrina, the White/Red 3s had a place in Jordan history.
Derek Anderson in 2003It started where many adoring PEs did — on the feet of Derek Anderson. Back in 1997, shortly after Anderson entered the NBA following a stellar collegiate career at Kentucky (which included a national championship in 1996), the brand choose him to be their very-first Jordan Brand athlete allowing Anderson access to rarities, player exclusives and more. One of the pairs he famously donned in 2003 was the Air Jordan 3 White/Red.
The legacy continued in 2009 when Michael Jordan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. To commemorative Jordan’s induction, the brand curated a special “Become Legendary” collection of Air Jordans. The collection was home to the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was there, again, that the often unseen 3s re-emerged.
Fast forward to modern-day and each of those stories play a central role in telling the tale of the Air Jordan 3 White/Red or the “Katrina”. Over the course of the last 15 years since the shoe was first seen, it’s donned the feet of the first Jordan Brand athlete, aided in hurricane relief, and paid homage to its namesake. Indirectly, too, the shoe has served as one of the best Air Jordan 3s to never release publicly. Now, during the model’s 30th anniversary, they’ll finally hit retailers.
In conjunction with the shoe’s release on May 12 on Nike.com, the Jordan Wings program has teamed up with local New Orleans educational partners to award 10 scholarships to graduating high school seniors. This, of course, is in addition to the more than 200 kids they’ve sent to college since 2015.
Air Jordan 3 “Katrina”
Colorway: White/Cement Grey-Black-Fire
Style #: 136064-116
Release Date: May 12, 2018
Price: $190
