About
We chose the name MIAMI AIR FORCE BASKETBALL to honor the men and women who have served our great country with great distinction, dedication, tremendous success and, of course, unimaginable sacrifice. This name was not chosen lightly. We did so knowing that it is a responsibility that when you adopt that name you must strive to bring more honor to that proud name. In our small way, we extend our deepest thanks to the great Americans who have served in the United States Air Force.
There is also a connection between the phrase "Air Force" and basketball. In 1982, Nike introduced the "Air Force 1," a shoe that helped spark a revolution in the basketball shoe industry. Nike signed 6 NBA players to wear the shoes, including Hall-of-Famer, the late, great Moses Malone and several very talented, but unheralded players like Michael Cooper and Bobby Jones. Cooper and Jones were two of the NBA's best defensive players of their era. Nike stopped producing the shoes a few years after they were introduced, but public demand forced Nike to relent and reintroduce the shoes. Since the relaunch of the Air Force shoes in 1986, more than 2,000 versions have been produced.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the Nike Air Force 1 led to innovation across an industry. It is properly considered the forerunner of the Air Jordan brand that would follow. The designers of the Air Force 1 shoes were heavily involved in the design of the Air Jordan shoes.
NIKE'S AIR FORCE 1