The Year He Got Cut From Varsity, He Never Gave Up: Air Jordan 5 Laney Returns After 14 Years

White leather upper paired with a blue-and-yellow midsole and tongue, with a No. 23 embroidered on the outer heel — this isn't a tribute to Jordan's professional career highs, but rather the story of who he was before he became "Jordan." The Air Jordan 5 Laney's colorway is pulled straight from Emsley A. Laney High School, the very school that cut him from the varsity team during his sophomore year.

After getting cut, Jordan grew four inches over the summer before his junior year and made the team the following season. As for the No. 23, the origin is simple: it's exactly half of his older brother's No. 45. This chapter later became one of the earliest parts of the Jordan legend, and the Air Jordan 5 Laney is essentially that story worn on your feet.

When the shoe first dropped in 2000, it marked the first time Jordan Brand released a retro in a colorway outside the original four — setting the precedent for the flood of AJ colorways that followed. The blue-and-yellow combo has since been used on other silhouettes, including a completely different Air Jordan 5 in 2019 that was also Laney-inspired. But the true original has only had one re-release in 25 years, back in 2013.

According to reliable leaker @zsneakerheadz, the Air Jordan 5 Laney (style code DD0587-106) is set to make its third-ever release in spring 2027, 14 years after its last drop. So far, only the SKU and color codes have leaked, but the design is expected to stay true to the original: white leather upper, blue-and-yellow midsole and tongue, and the No. 23 embroidered on the outer heel.

The release date is set for May 15, dropping via the SNKRS app and select retailers at a retail price of $215 USD. Whether Taiwan will get a simultaneous release remains unconfirmed at this time.