Michael Jordan’s $3.01 Billion Brand Makes History, Kiki Rice Ecstatically Calls Hometown

UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice is having a Cloud-9 moment. Rice averaged 13.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season, which is impressive and has set a new career benchmark. But his exploits were not limited to the courtroom. Her recent collaboration with Air Jordan made history.

Embarking on a new journey, Jordan Brand’s collaboration with Kiki is an important milestone for both parties, as it is her first time working together. In addition, it reflects the brand’s unwavering support for young talents pioneering innovation in the fields of sports and fashion.

Qiqifan left colorful marks

The UCLA Bruins guard is keeping his spirits up with colorful kicks, and now his name is part of sneaker history. It is worth noting that Rice became the first NIL athlete with PE (player exclusive) from Jordan Brand. Jordan Brand designed a “Sakura” colorway of the Air Jordan for Kiki Rice.

In a recent Instagram post, Kiki shared a video of herself unpacking her own new Air Jordan 38 Low “Cherry Blossom” colorway, saying: “These people are sick!!”. The title of the post is – “I’m excited to share my first player-edition silhouette with Jordan Brand, the Air Jordan 38 Low “Cherry Blossom.” Being the first Jordan Brand NIL athlete to earn PE is an absolute honor and I can’t wait My teammates and coaches are rocking with me in the future!…Holiday to my hometown, The District!!”

In the video, Kiki talks about the origins of the PE design and how it depicts spring in Washington, saying: “Growing up in Washington, everyone would look up to the springtime and the cherry blossoms were blooming and be able to see all the incredible colors and flowers and everything. So, I think it’s going to be a huge, pretty big testament to Washington, D.C., Because it’s so unique to the area. I love the colorway of the whole shoe. The pink and blue and the way it gradients, I think it looks super nice. Being the first Jordan Brand and the first to have a PE NIL athletes mean a lot to me. “I mean, growing up, I looked forward to wearing shoes designed by my favorite players and I think that was a really important moment for me that I It’s a pleasure to race in these shoes. “

As Kiki explains, the “Sakura” colorway of the Air Jordan 38 is inspired by the cherry blossoms that bloom every year in Washington, D.C. The sneakers feature a cherry blossom pattern on the top of the tongue and a floral pattern on the insole.

Additionally, the sole features a mixed gradient of pink and blue, creating a captivating effect of cherry blossoms blooming against a backdrop of azure skies. Additionally, the Jumpman logo is embroidered on the right heel, while “KIKI” is featured on the left heel.

However, according to SneakerNews, these shoes will not make it to retail in any way. The shoe was made specifically for Kiki, but every UCLA women’s basketball player and staff member will eventually receive the shoe.

But where is she wearing these?

Rice shows off her unique Jordan brand

In honor of her hometown of Washington, D.C., Kiki Rice took over the reins with a personal endorsement Sunday morning. Notably, she debuted her new Air Jordan 38 Low “Cherry Blossom” colorway against the Stanford Cardinals.

Thanks to NIL, Kiki has made history as Jordan Brand’s first NIL athlete, marking the brand’s first step into the NIL realm. It all started in October 2022 when Rice gave away a pair of Jordans to every student-athlete on the Bruins roster.

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Luckily, Rice is able to represent the brand on and off the court as part of the deal, as UCLA is one of six college programs to partner with Air Jordans. For the most part, the collaboration between Rice and Jordan Brand has focused on gender equality.