Philadelphia To Get First U.S. Jordan Brand World Of Flight Store
It’s been almost 40 years since Nike created the Air Jordan shoe. Michael Jordan has been retired from the NBA since 2003. Still, his brand seems more popular than ever and Philadelphia will soon open the first Jordan Brand World of Flight store in America.
CBS News reported, “Documents submitted to the Philadelphia Historical Commission show the retailer plans to open its first Michael Jordan-branded sneaker and apparel store at 1617 Walnut St. in the city’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.”
Although this outlet will be the first of its kind in the country, there are three other World of Flight stores across the world. The first opened in Milan, Italy in 2022. Then, in March of 2023, the next location opened in Tokyo. Most recently, Seoul, South Korea, opened its World of Flight this past June.
Now for Philadelphia specifically, Complex explains that this spot was “inspired by the intersection of Philadelphia Historical Architecture and Jordan Brand.”
What Else To Expect At Jordan Brand’s World Of Flight In Philadelphia
The Jordan Brand, is of course, under the Nike umbrella. Nonetheless, as you can expect the storefront is expected to feature the signature “Jumpman” logo.
When the Tokyo location opened, Nike described what’s inside by saying it would be a “best-in-class Jordan Brand product, a customization station, SNKRS pick-up services for Nike Members, and — for the first time in a Jordan store — a content-creation studio for shoppers.”
Currently, some of the most popular Jordan shoes include the AJ1 and the Jordan 4. Furthermore, what’s equally fascinating is that these kicks are widely sought after by kids. Most of them were not even born yet when Jordan was playing.
Pro athletes that are currently endorsed by Nike’s Jordan Brand include Jason Tatum, Jalen Hurts, and Luka Dončić.
In college sports, certain Division One programs have also become Jordan schools. These include Jordan’s alma mater in North Carolina and the current NCAA football champion, University of Michigan.
At opening date for the Philadelphia World of Flight location has not been announced yet.
5 NBA Players We'd Love To See In the Slam Dunk Contest
This weekend the NBA will take over Indianapolis for All-Star weekend. On Saturday night, the Slam Dunk contest will serve as the grand finale of the day two events at Lucas Oil Stadium. That got us thinking about NBA stars we’d love to see in Slam Dunk contest.
Before we crack into the list, let’s take a look at the modern landscape of the NBA dunk contest. The biggest complaint about the event is that the biggest names in basketball rarely participate. Why is that? Well, last year at this time, Front Office Sports dove into this exact subject. “The last time a player from that season’s All-Star Game actually participated in the Dunk Contest was in 2017, when the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan competed,” they said.
Front Office Sports went on to list a lack of creative options, scoring, and top players not participating in the dunk contest as reasons why the competition had declined. “I think they’re maybe afraid to lose,” NBA Hall of Famer, and slam dunk legend, Dominique Wilkins said via Front Office Sports. Of course, potential injury could also be considered.
Though there has been a lack of star power in the Slam Dunk contest, there have been a few shining moments as of late. Last season, there was much confusion as to why the NBA was allowing a G League (minor league) player to participate in Mac McClung. Now with the Orlando Magic franchise, McClung was called up by his then-team, the 76ers, a few days before the contest. He would go on to win and thrilling fashion. Furthermore, McClung is just six-foot-two.
This Year’s Slam Dunk Contest
The NBA Slam Dunk contest will often be associated with the likes of Wilkins and Michael Jordan. In the late ’80s, these legends made our jaws drop dunking the ball during all-star weekend. Sure, we have had Vince Carter and the late great Kobe Bryant go in it and win it. However, you can’t help but think about what might have been, if these stars had won. Some of them came close, while others opted out.
Nonetheless, we do have some surprising and well-received news when it comes to the 2024 contest. Jaylen Brown, one of the biggest stars in the game, is participating. He will compete against last year’s winner in McClung. In addition, Jacob Toppin from the Knicks and Jamie Jaquez. Jr of the Heat are in. Perhaps with Brown participating, we will begin to see the trend of more all-stars opting into this fan-favorite event in the future.
Here are five players we’d love to see do their thing in the NBA Slam Dunk contest.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
