Jordan’s New Campaign Asks a *Radical* Question: What If Greatness Isn’t Just For Men?
Debuting at the Grammys, the Generational Greatness campaign rewrites a classic Jordan ad with WNBA stars, queer leads, and zero apologies.
Featured image via Jordan
Jordan Brand didn’t just remake a classic, they reimagined greatness itself.
Debuting during the 2026 Grammy Awards, Jordan Brand’s new Generational Greatness campaign flips a beloved 1991 commercial on its head and hands the mic to women—specifically women who refuse to shrink, apologize, or choose just one lane. And the fact that both of the leads are Black queer women of color? Now, that’s how you start off Black History Month.
The original ’91 spot—starring Michael Jordan and Spike Lee’s iconic Mars Blackmon character—was undeniably legendary. Lee gets three wishes from a genie (played by the late Little Richard), but really only wants one thing: to be Michael Jordan. It was about aspiration, sure, but singular. Greatness had one face, one body, one name.
Fast forward to now, and Generational Greatness asks a much more expansive question: What if greatness didn’t look the same for everyone—and what if you didn’t have to choose just one version of it?
This time around, Emmy winner Niecy Nash-Betts plays the genie, literally popping out of an Air Jordan 6 Infrared “Salesman” sneaker, offering possibilities instead of prescriptions. At the center of it all is Regan Aliyah, a young queer actress and the campaign’s emotional anchor, navigating ambition not as a straight line but as an open field.
And then there’s the lineup. Golden Globe winner Teyana Taylor drifts through the spot alongside a stacked roster of WNBA talent, including Napheesa Collier and Rhyne Howard, with Gabby Williams and Isabelle Harrison rounding it out. Williams and Harrison—both openly queer—bring added weight to the campaign’s generational framing, with Harrison also notably dating Natasha Cloud, the New York Liberty guard and Unrivaled Phantom standout.
The Air Jordan 6 Infrared “Salesman”, finally releasing in Spring 2026 after being shelved since 1999, feels symbolic in its own right. A shoe once pulled from production, now resurrected in a campaign about reclaiming possibility? Yeah, that tracks.
Jordan Brand says greatness has always been at its core. This time, it just looks a lot more honest and a lot more like the future.
