Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas, Jordan Brand gave the general public its first taste of the brand new Air Jordan XX9 at the “First to Fly” launch event. The XX9, which hits retail on September 6, features a woven upper and Flight Plate technology for as smooth, comfortable a feel on-court as the brand has ever provided in its premium footwear product.
Over the two days, we went behind the scenes as fans were given the opportunity to wear-test the kicks, plus customize matching socks and tees. Meanwhile, some of the nation’s best AAU teams hit the hardwood for workouts and games, including the thrilling Championship Game of Chris Paul’s “The 8” Tournament (won by Philly’s Team Final in the closing moments of a hotly contested matchup with the Oakland Soldiers).
Along the way, Jumpman athletes like CP3, Victor Oladipo, Jabari Parker, Andre Drummond, Joe Johnson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist interacted with fans—when they weren’t using the space as their personal offseason gym. The court itself, constructed inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Vegas, was a sight to behold.
Check out the gallery above for some of the best photos from the weekend’s activities—which also included one of the best amateur dunk contests we’ve ever witnessed, plus a “pro” dunk contest starring some of the best street dunkers on the planet—and look out for even more from Las Vegas in the next print issue of SLAM Magazine!
Photos by Jeremiah Wilson
