Getty Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan (R) drives on New York Knicks Derek Harper 11 May during their conference semi-finals game in New York. The Knicks defeated the Bulls 102-99. / Getty
Derek Anderson may be an NBA champion as a member of the Miami Heat, an NCAA National Champion as a Kentucky Wildcat and a published author, but guess what?
You can add shoe designer to his resume!
He suggested to MJ that he should make the Air Jordan 11’s low top kicks.
“I was sitting in the office with Michael Jordan,” Derek Anderson told Scoop B Radio.
“We were all sitting at the table. I was used to playing in low cuts, so I told him, ‘Can’t we cut these shoes off? He looked at me and was like: ‘What?’ And I was like: ‘I just wanna cut that shoe off, I like these in a low cut. He said: ‘Let’s try it.’ We tried it and we came up with a low cut shoe and I’ve been wearing low cut ever since.”
The Air Jordan 11 has always been heralded as one of the most popular silhouettes from Michael Jordan’s signature line with the “Space Jam” colorway that appeared in the 1996 cult classic film of the same name being one of the more heavily favored renditions.
Its close cousin, the Air Jordan 11 Low IE, has never receiving quite the same level of praise. With this upcoming release, Jordan Brand is looking to bring some of the 11’s magic to its low-top counterpart.
More on the Air Jordan 11’s per Jumpman:
Michael Jordan returned strong with his familiar break-neck pace. En route to one of his most impressive years to date, Jordan clinched MVP, All-Star MVP and Finals MVP before securing his fourth championship ring.
The Air Jordan XI lent MJ’s return a touch of class. Its patent leather shine spoke of aerodynamics while embodying an informal elegance. It was an instant favorite among players and it made a blockbuster appearance in the animated classic, Space Jam.
Derek Anderson was one of the first Jordan Brand signees when MJ decided to make current players ambassadors of that shoe company. That exclusive list included athletes like Eddie Jones, Ray Allen, Vin Baker and Derek Jeter.
Today it has expanded by leaps and bounds with athletes like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, C.C. Sabathia and Blake Griffin.
Any chance Derek Anderson has a top three favorite Jordan shoe?
“I don’t have a top three Jordan,” he said. I played in everything. Everything low cut. But to me, 3, 4s and 11s.”
Anderson was the 13th pick in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’d play ten years in the league where he’d average 12 points a game playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat.