Nike Celebrates Toronto Raptors’ NBA Finals Appearance With Surprise Re-Release of Jordan 4 Raptors
Ella Chochrek
Assistant Digital Editor
Sneakerheads may not have been anticipating this Nike drop, but they sure jumped fast at the chance to get their hands on these kicks.
With the 2019 NBA Finals underway, the Swoosh surprised fans with a re-release of the Air Jordan 4 in its “Raptors” black/court purple colorway. The drop came on Sunday ahead of the Toronto Raptors’ game 2 Finals match-up against the Golden State Warriors (Toronto won game 1).
The shoe features a signature of a very famous Raptors fan on the tongue: Drake. Aside from the signature update, the shoe is very similar to last year’s AJ4 “Raptors” drop.
In fact, an early sample of the sneaker was pictured with the “Hotline Bling” rapper’s scrawl. When the detail didn’t make it onto the final product (and Drake was spotted several times in Adidas wares), speculation began that he could be leaving Jordan Brand for the Three Stripes. Those rumors were ultimately quashed, as the “God’s Plan” hitmaker stayed with the Swoosh after all.
Without any warning, the updated AJ4 “Raptors” shoes dropped quietly on the Nike SNKRS app. But fans didn’t need advanced notice to purchase, as the shoes sold out within mere hours. At retail value, the kicks were going for $200.
While you can’t get them for face value anymore, the resale market is already offering the refreshed AJ4 at a price point that isn’t too far above retail. The shoes are available right now on StockX, with recent sales going in the $250-$270 range.
Below, watch a behind-the-scenes video from NBA star Stephen Curry’s FN cover shoot.
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