The Jordan 19 Visits the East Coast
When Michael Jordan retired from the Washington Wizards in 2003, it wasn’t the first time he had retired from basketball. It wasn’t even the second time! But this time it stuck. Jordan was 40 years old and ready to pursue other interests and promote his clothing brand. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that one of Air Jordan’s most forward-thinking editions was released the following year in the form of the Air Jordan 19.
Cultural Significance of the AJ 19
The Air Jordan 19 was the first model released after MJ’s final retirement. While Mike himself may never have had the chance to wear them on the court, the Air Jordan 19 has seen a lot of game time. Stars including Carmelo Anthony, Ray Allen and Jason Kidd have all worn the 19 in play.
Besides their appearance in professional games, Air Jordan 19s have also been featured on television, most notably in an episode of the Damon Wayans-headed show, My Wife and Kids, in which Wayans’ character, Mike, steals them from Jordan’s hotel room and later wears them to play against MJ himself, who makes a cameo appearance.
Jordan 19 OG SE East Coast 2004
The Jordan brand released the East Coast colorway as an exclusive regional release of the Jordan 19 silhouette. A white upper sets the stage for this release, accented by the stitched white lining on each side panel. A Flint Grey Jordan Jumpman logo can be found on the lateral ankle collar and on the heel. This Flint Grey coloring continues on the toe top and on a thin line rising up to the ankle. Deep Red accents appear on the heel tab, inner sock liner, and on the tongue's Jordan logo. The outer sole is outlined in Flint Grey and Deep Red, while its tread is coated in white. The limited-edition East Coast colorway made its debut on November 13th, 2004.
