Ed Balint / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nike Releasing Jordan MVP '92 Hoping to Change the Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jason C. Jones | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 8:05 AM ET

Not all Jordans are created equal. Just because a Jordan has a Jumpman logo does not mean it’s viewed on par with the classics. Over time, mainline Jordans become ‘retros’ when Nike re-releases those previous models at later dates. Jordans and their retros constitute 90% of successful sales pushes. Most of what remains from the Jordan line is widely discarded as not good or at least noticeably less than.

The bulk of what consumers deem to be “not good enough” are all lumped into one term, “Team Jordan”. If a person often wears AJ1-AJ14, there is an incredible probability they've never owned a single “Team Jordan” in their life. The shoes are evolutions or remixes of established classics or completely new designs that take inspiration from classics. The Team Jordan reception is never warm. Fans want classics, they don’t want part of a classic mixed with something else.

The MVP 92 might be the first attempt at remixing or taking inspiration from a classic that almost works. It draws inspiration from key Jordan 7 elements without changing them or evolving them hardly at all.

The outsole is the same. The midsole is the same. The toe box is the same. The lacing is the same. Even the panel work in the front half of the shoe is the same. The rear of the shoe creates a deviation from the original design. However, the pull tab, the heel counter and even the overall profile all ‘feel’ like they belong in a 1992 inspired shoe. The Jumpman logo just before the heel counter does feel very ‘team Jordan’, but we’ll excuse that for now.

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The reason it ‘almost works’ is the lack of the inner sock, a AJ7 staple. It utilizes very specific material. The tongue and Achilles pad are not separate, creating an insulating feeling to the fit. The inner sock tongue is also the source of most of the shoe’s color infusion. Had they included an AJ7 like inner sock with a similar color design found in the AJ7 (especially the “raptor”), the MVP 92 could’ve found itself on a Sneakerhead tier Team Jordans have never been invited to.

It is not a mainline Jordan and any Sneakerhead will see that. However, it also should not fall into “Team Jordan” depths. The MVP 92 is not an abomination of an elite model. It might be the first ‘Team Jordan’ that respectfully honors most of the shoes it takes inspiration from. With a $140 price point, it does occupy the lane it should. It’s not a Jordan 7 and shouldn’t be priced in that $190-$220 range. The overall aesthetic, something Nike often fumbles on Team Jordans, is surprisingly solid.

The MVP 92 is not a mainline Jordan. It is not a Jordan 7 low. It also does not fit the typical description of a “Team Jordan”. It may not be anyone’s choice to wear at SneakerCon. However, the MVP 92 could provide a day-to-day option for Sneakerheads who don’t want to wear their prized “heat” to the gym or at work.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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