The Daily Jordan: Jordan 3 Percent – 1999

Today’s Daily Jordan takes a look at the Jordan 3 Percent from 1999, one of the first training sneakers from the then-fledgling Jordan Brand division. JB not only had the task of establishing a brand identity of non-basketball products in the late ’90s, they also needed to excelerate that move because Michael Jordan’s Bulls days were over for good. People had a kind of connection to Air Jordan XIV thanks to MJ’s storybook 1998 Finals performance, but what was going to carry the rest of the Jumpman sneaker lineup? Shoes like the 3 Percent, that’s what.

Dubbed for Jordan’s percent of body fat during his playing days, the 3 Percent immediately filled the training option gap with a sort of Nike Air Trainer Max ’91 vibe, and one flare on the lateral side for each percentage. Jordan Brand revisited the shoe a little bit in 2011 with the Alpha 3% Hoop, but the original shoe remains in the vault. The wait for a proper retro continues, but in the meantime check the photos below and see if you can scrounge up a pair of OG 3Ps now on eBay.