PJ Tucker, the NBA’s undisputed king of sneaker collectors, is getting his first-ever Nike collaboration.
The PJ Tucker x Nike Air Flight ’89 Low “Sky Blue” will release this week exclusively through his Houston sneaker boutique, The Better Generation. Premium “Sky Blue” suede, a nod to Tucker’s home state of Carolina, takes over the upper with panels alternating between a perforated and pebbled texture. Beneath the Flight logo on the heel sits a special “PJ 17” mark representing his name and playing number. A white and off-white midsole sits above a baby blue outsole, and the insole takes on the appearance of a mildly cloudy sky.
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Just 472 pairs of the sneaker will release, a decision made for that being the precise number of seats on a Boeing 777-300 airplane. Each pair will be individually numbered, not in a normal run of 1 through 472, but with real seat numbers to coordinate with the aircraft (e.g. “32E).
Tucker debuted the sneaker while warming up for a game at the beginning of April and later gifted a pair to LeBron James, who wore the shoe before and after a game 3 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Tucker is well known in NBA and sneaker circles for a shoe collection so exhaustive that it’s even befuddled the people involved in a given sneaker’s conception. In 2018, he collaborated with Giuseppe Zanotti to create the Urchin silhouette. Nike has also given Tucker player-exclusive colorways of its sneakers, but the Air Flight ’89 marks the first time his own shoe form the Swoosh has released.
As the name suggests, the Air Flight ’89 released as a basketball sneaker in 1989. It’s often compared to the Air Jordan 4 for their resemblance to each other, and Scottie Pippen wore the sneaker before he was given his own signature model.
The PJ Tucker x Nike Air Flight ’89 “Sky Blue” will release Sunday, May 5, exclusively through The Better Generation for an in-store release. An online raffle through the boutique’s website is also open from Wedneday, May 1, through Sunday. Pricing for the shoe is set at $160.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
