Basketball legend Michael Jordan on Friday celebrated 30 years of his “Air Jordan I”, the first sports shoes created for him by Nike and which eventually became a global fashion statement.
“We did some good things 30 years ago,” said Jordan to his entourage in Paris, although none of the 50-strong press corps who attended the event at the city’s Palais de Tokyo was allowed to pose questions to the star.
Jordan has been retired from the sport since 2003 after winning six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls. He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player five times, and is widely regarded as the best to ever play the sport.
Now 52, he still earns $100 million a year in endorsements from Nike and a slew of other sponsors including sports drink brand Gatorade and videogame studio 2K Sports, according to Forbes, a figure the magazine said was more than any current or retired athlete.
Jordan is current the majority owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets franchise.
