As the year comes to a close, Jordan Brand celebrates Year of 23 with its final campaign — Beyond, narrated by J. Ivy and showcased on December 20 during the Jumpman Invitational.
In the short, Jordan Brand’s key members are not only highlighted but help paint the rich year the brand had.
The AIR up there is reserved for those that dare to reach?? pic.twitter.com/YCGPgmyiua
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) December 21, 2023
From debuting its newest flagship model (the Air Jordan 38) with Kiki Rice (Jumpman’s first NIL athlete) to the next generation of signature athletes with the Jordan Tatum 1, Jordan Luka 2 and the Jordan Zion 3, to countless of collaborations from J Balvin to Nike SB x AJ4, and so much more were at the core of Year of 23 and were embodied in the short film.
“We speak to the varied and powerful connection points that the Jordan Brand has with its community,” a Jordan Brand spokesperson told Nice Kicks. “Whether it’s the next generation, our own Jordan Family members, or a magnitude of communities, our aim is to serve them, continue to grow basketball culture with them, and ensure that purpose is a large part of all that we do so we can create a better future.”
And for Jordan Brand, the future starts now as the film is anchored by the invitational, further tying the past, present and future of the brand through sport and sneakers.
From a performance standpoint, Jordan Brand partnered with UCLA’s Kiki Rice to become the first-ever college player to debut the flagship model, yet another accolade for the guard as the Bruins look for glory come March.
“It was a surreal moment for me to be tapped to debut the Air Jordan 38 but also a moment that felt like a natural extension of my partnership and relationship with Jordan Brand,” Rice told. Nice Kicks. “We share a commitment to excellence, a fire and a drive that unites us. And they know I want to be a symbol of self-belief and what’s possible for the next generation of female ballers – which I think we accomplished with this debut.”
Beyond collegiate hoops, Jordan Brand opened another door that brought generations together with the release of the Jordan Tatum 1 —Tatum’s first signature shoe.
“I want people to feel like they can connect to me,” Tatum told Nice Kicks. “I remember being a kid, walking into the store, and looking for the signature shoes of my favorite players. The moment I saw the shoe or put the shoe on, I felt like I was in sync and closer to them in a way. So, I want this shoe to be a bridge between my fans and me to bring us closer together.”
Off the court, Jordan Brand’s presence was felt with its continued Black Community Commitment (the 10-year, $100 million commitment that began in 2020). This year, The Jordan Brand BCC launched new partnerships with organizations elevating stories and voices of the Black experience such as The Blackhouse Foundation, ColorCreative, The Opportunity Agenda and StoryCorps, joining BCC’s previous partners such as the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Journalism, Morehouse College and BlackStar Projects and others.
Additionally, other philanthropic efforts were key for the brand this year with its Wings Initiative. This year, the Wings Scholars program introduced its class of 2027 in North America and in the Philippines.
To date, Jordan Brand has awarded over 3,200 scholarships, placed 29 internships, and has welcomed 1,300 Wings Design Program participants across China, North America, Paris, and the Philippines. And like previous Wings classes, the cohort left its mark in sneakers as students in the Wings Design Program in North America helped design a NASCAR for Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing, which was inspired by the Air Jordan 2 “Wings” for Howard H. White.
Much like its partners and network, the Jordan Brand family expanded with a plethora of athletes at the highest level. In 2023, the brand welcomed Bruce Brown, Cam Whitmore, Marcus Sasser, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jett Howard (all NBA players), Bryce Young (NFL), Jalen Hurts (NFL), Aaron Judge (MLB), Jazz Chisolm (MLB), Kiyomi McMiller (NIL), and Stefanie Dolson (WNBA).
And if expanding the family wasn’t monumental enough, Jordan Brand dug deeper with its existing members, such as DJ Khaled and his new project, Teyana Taylor and her first Air Jordan collab and J Balvin and his third Air Jordan which was fittingly the Air Jordan 3.
“It’s unbelievable that Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand have embraced me the way they have,” DJ Khaled told Nice Kicks. “It’s a blessing. It’s a family thing. I feel chosen. So I am going to continue to use my platform, along with this partnership with Jordan Brand, to spread positivity, to inspire people to create change, to inspire people to believe in themselves, and to wake up feeling like they are the best every single day.”
For J Balvin, the opportunity to become the first Latino to have an Air Jordan collaboration with his Air Jordan 1 and allowing el Colombiano to tell his story remains a key emphasis of his special projects with the brand.
“I’m grateful that Jordan Brand not only allows me to be me, but it allows me to connect to the world through my passion for sneakers, storytelling, and provide hope,” Balvin told Nice Kicks. “I became the first Latino to have a Jordan 1 collaboration in 2020, [and this] means a lot to my community and gives them a sense of hope to go out and achieve what they dream of achieving.”
As for Teyana Taylor, her collaborative Teyana Taylor x Air Jordan 1 Zoom CMFT 2 “A Rose From Harlem” that followed a similar storyline of hope and achievement.
“Inspiring the next generation is crucially important for me, period, she told Nice Kicks. “And I’m thankful to partner with a brand like Jordan — not only do they understand that, they hand over a platform for me to do so,” she added.
“My collection with Jordan told my story, but it also told the story of other women like me, who have persevered and lifted themselves to new heights through the power of their self-belief.”
With the final days of 2023 upon us, the Beyond ad was the exclamation point for the brand as it’s ready to sore into new heights in 2024 with more retros and a new era as former president for Fear of God Athletics Jason Mayden returns to Jordan Brand as Chief Design Officer.
Take a look at the Beyond film below.
Keep it locked on Nice Kicks on Instagram and the Air Jordan release dates page to stay on top of the latest news and drops.
