The moment sneakerheads have been waiting (and saving) for all year is here.
The temperature is dipping, and the holidays are around the corner, which means all of Jordan Brand’s Holiday releases pictured in leaked grainy images are finally hitting store shelves and the often frustrating SNKRS app.
And the first to hit the app is the Air Jordan 3 Black Cement. It’s arguably one of the most classic of all the silhouettes featuring vintage color blocking. Still, it exposes the once futuristic air bubble that has since become a Nike staple.
Also available in a White Cement colorway—which became a classic warm-weather sneaker—the black colorway has long been a winter mainstay and, for some, even a beater.
The Tinker Hatfield-designed kicks debuted in 1988 and is behind some iconic moments in sneaker lore, like that year’s All-Star Dunk Contest when MJ dunked from the free throw line, where he contentiously won over Dominique Wilkins.
The Black Cement 3s are known for their simple silhouette, colors, and materials. The upper is made of tumbled black leather paired with smooth leather mudguards. For some contrast, there is a namesake cement grey tongue and matching elephant print on the toe and around the heel. The white midsole and the original Nike Air branding are visible on the heel tab to break up the dark colors, which purists will gawk over. The lining of the tongue is vibrant fire red with a red Jumpman and tonal eyelets towards the toe for an added pop of color.
This time around, they are priced at $220 for men, $150 for grade school, $90 for preschool, and $75 for toddlers.
Now, the official release isn’t until November 23. But in typical Jordan form, one of the most sought-after pairs got a shock drop release on SNKRS, with a few insider social media accounts hinting at it hours before.
So, some lucky fans were blessed with the opportunity to purchase during the shock drop, which serendipitously dropped at 2:23 EST. Some were elated when the Got ‘Em graphic popped up on their phones, while others couldn’t get past the submission selection screen.
Win or lose, see how sneakerheads are reacting to the shock drop below.