words // Brandon Richard

Tomorrow, the ‘Laney’ Air Jordan 5 Retro will return for the first time since its 2000 release. In addition to being a tribute to Michael Jordan’s North Carolina high school, the ‘Laney’ 5 is significant because it was the first ever ‘Retro+’ colorway, meaning a style that was not part of the original lineup. Now, there are more new colorways than originals and you can point to the Bucs-inspired 5 Retro as the starting point for that kind of success.

For Eastbay Memory Lane, we flash back to April 2000, when the yet-to-be-released ‘Laney’ 5 graced the pages of our catalog. The classic retro is joined by the Air Jordan XV, arguably the most polarizing model in the entire Jordan series. You’ll also see the Trunner Mid, Jumpman select and Eddie Jones’ Swift 6.

What do you remember about 2000, when the Jordan Brand moved past MJ’s playing career and started focusing more on the retro market? Did you own a pair of the original ‘Laney’ Jordan shoes?