Though Jordan would reply with, “no,” Blackmon would repeatedly surmise: “It’s gotta be da shoes.” The ads would forever link Lee-a die-hard Knicks fan-to Jordan and elevate the player worldwide, too. Often, these commercials saw the repetitive speaking Blackmon asking Jordan ad nauseam what made the icon so special. In 1988, Lee reprised the character to promote Nike’s Air Jordan III. There, the cocky gold-chain wearing character brandished a pair of Air 1’s. In 1986, Spike Lee played Mars Blackmon in his debut feature She’s Gotta Have It. If “Takeoff” sent Air Jordans skyward, then “Is it the Shoes?” sent MJ’s brand into another orbit. Filmed in 1985, the commercial and footwear began Jordan’s ascent into a global brand. “The Jordan brand, on a wholesale equivalent basis, just earned its first $1 billion quarter,” Nike CEO Mark Parker said on a call with investors December of 2019.

His slow motion walk in the sky-using his soon-legendary athleticism-launched one of the most successful shoe lines in history. ‘Takeoff,’ which featured the basketball superstar wearing his Air Jordan-1’s, showed MJ leaping while the sound of a jet fires in the background. His first major breakthrough would forever change everyday fashion. Jordan’s best off-the-court work often occurred in his commercials. To these ends, we’ve assembled a guide of classic commercials and restaurants, collaborations with luminaries such as Spike Lee and Michael Jackson, all to show why we still want to “be like Mike” - even decades later in 2020. No sports figure in the last 40 years has altered the landscape more than MJ. His establishment as a global brand and spokesman - valued at a net worth of 2.1 billion dollars - has changed fashion, begun catchphrases and memes now inseparably weaved into the fabric of pop culture, and influenced music, food, and movies. While the nationwide quarantine has kept many inside, and has helped with ratings, ESPN has been hyping this series for years. It’s creating new memes and soundbites, and a new understanding of the ’90s and celebrity. The only trending topics on Sunday nights are almost all Bulls-related.

Need proof? Log onto Twitter while The Last Dance is airing. However, another enthralling component to the weekly event is his Airness’ significance as a global icon off-the-court

With the airing of ESPN’s 10-part docuseries The Last Dance-which recounts the Chicago Bulls’ final title run with MJ-fans have been reminded of the basketball-great’s importance and brilliance on the court. To imagine a world in which the icon never existed is to wonder what would have happened if Bugs Bunny finally did take that left to Albuquerque. A Basketball Hall-of-Famer, six-time MVP, and the leader of two three-peats, Jordan remains a larger than life figure from the way he soared to his superstar status. It’s been over 20 years since Michael Jordan won his final championship.

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