Every December, Jordan Brand releases an Air Jordan 11, and every December the same few colourways decide whether it is a good year. The Space Jam is one of them. It was never part of the original 1995 retail run, yet it sits on the model's Mount Rushmore next to the Concord and the Bred.
On 12 December 2026, thirty years after the film, it comes back for the fourth time. Here is everything you need to know about the Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam', from the 1995 playoffs to the 2026 retro.
The History of the Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam'
The story starts before the film. In spring 1995 Jordan returned from baseball wearing number 45, because 23 had been retired. In the playoffs against the Orlando Magic he debuted a black Air Jordan 11 with a clear outsole and blue accents, a pair that was not yet available in stores.
A year later he wore the same black colourway in Space Jam, the 1996 film that put him on a court with Bugs Bunny and against the Monstars. Black patent leather, an icy sole and hints of royal blue fit the film's theme so well that the name stuck, even though Nike never released the shoe at the time.
That gap is part of the appeal. For most of the 1990s you could only see the Space Jam on screen or on Jordan's feet. By the time it finally reached shelves, it had already become one of the most wanted Jordans that never existed.
Every Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' Release
2000. The Space Jam finally released on 13 December 2000, with JUMPMAN JAM printed on the tongue. Sample pairs were reportedly made with 45 on the heel, but the retail version carried 23. Pairs from this release are collector pieces now, and most of the original soles have yellowed heavily.
Shop the Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Space Jam' (2000) on KLEKT
2009. The second retro arrived in December 2009, again with 23 on the heel. It was the first Space Jam many current collectors owned, and it helped turn the December Air Jordan 11 into an annual event.
2016. For the film's twentieth anniversary, the Space Jam came back with the detail collectors had always wanted: 45 embroidered on the heel, matching the pair Jordan wore in the 1995 playoffs. The patent leather was also cut higher, closer to the original shape. For many people this is still the definitive version.
Shop the Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Space Jam' (2016) on KLEKT
The colourway has also appeared on other versions of the shoe. The Air Jordan 11 Low IE 'Space Jam' (2019) put it on the low-cut IE build, and in 2024 the Air Jordan 11 Low 'Space Jam' (2024) brought it to the low-top retro for the first time.
Shop the Air Jordan 11 Low 'Space Jam' (2024) on KLEKT
How to Tell the Space Jams Apart
All four high-top releases look almost identical from a distance. These details tell them apart:
- 2000: style code 136046-041, JUMPMAN JAM on the tongue, 23 on the heel, often heavily yellowed soles.
- 2009: style code 378037-041, 23 on the heel.
- 2016: style code 378037-003, 45 on the heel and a higher patent leather cut.
- 2026: style code CT8012-900. It follows the 2000 pair closely, with JUMPMAN JAM on the tongue, 23 on the heel, a lower patent leather cut and royal blue on the Jumpman and the outsole, so the style code is the safest check.
If you are buying on the resale market, check the style code on the box label and inside the tongue first. It is the fastest way to confirm which release you are looking at, and it matters for price: the 2016 pair usually trades higher than the 2009 because of the 45.
Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' 2026 Release
The Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' releases on 12 December 2026, timed to the film's thirtieth anniversary. The style code is CT8012-900, and the release comes in full family sizing. The official colourway is Black/Varsity Royal-White. Rather than repeating 2016, this pair goes back to the first retro from 2000: JUMPMAN JAM on the tongue, 23 on the heel, Varsity Royal Jumpman logos and the lower patent leather cut. It is expected to come in the retro box of the early 2000s as well.
It is not the only Space Jam pair this year. Jordan Brand has also lined up an Air Jordan 11 in the colours of the Monstars and an Air Jordan 9 'Space Jam', and KLEKT already lists the Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam Galaxy' (2026).
The Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' (2026) is already live on KLEKT ahead of the release, so you can pick your size before December and skip the draw. Every earlier version is listed as well.
Shop the Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' (2026) on KLEKT
Every Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' on KLEKT
- Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Space Jam' (2000)
- Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Space Jam' (2009)
- Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Space Jam' (2016)
- Air Jordan 11 Low IE 'Space Jam' (2019)
- Air Jordan 11 Low 'Space Jam' (2024)
- Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' (2026)
- Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam Galaxy' (2026)
You can also browse the full Air Jordan 11 catalogue on KLEKT.
Check out the Air Jordan 11 'Space Jam' on KLEKT.
Images: Nike / Jordan Brand / KLEKT
