Marcus’ Jordans Cause adidas to Drop UCF Athletics

As a sneaker head, this story is likely to elicit a wide range of emotions. At a superficial level, we’re a little jealous to see Michael Jordan’s son, Marcus, wearing the ‘Rising Sun’ Air Jordan XII (12) even though we couldn't’t get them last month as expected. Take a look at the headlines, though, and you’re sure to be confused by what’s going on down at UCF’s Orlando campus.

Signed to a multi year contract with adidas, the University of Central Florida first told MJ’s ‘rising son’ that he could either drop his daddy’s kicks or face serious consequences. Since the Jordan family assets likely exceed UCF’s endowment, the lil’ Jordan kept right on going. Clearly, that didn’t sit well with Adidas.


Simple enough . . . or is it? Apparently, regional Adidas officials had told the young Jump man that he could rock his namesake kicks, a decision later repealed by executive management. The Rising Suns look awesome with UCF’s home unis, so should Adidas care that people are going to associate the team that includes Michael Jordan’s son with Jordan Brand?

Marcus even went so far as to white-out the tongue Jump man, leaving the only logos visible on his feet a small ‘23′ on each heel (dwarfed by the broad Three Stripes crossing his Speed Wrap ankle supports). This controversy begs the question, could Adidas have ever prevented Marcus from drawing that kind of attention, even in a pair of their kicks?