Words: AirMag. Photos: James.
From the outside, you would assume the Jordan Hangar is just another large building. But once you enter, it becomes clear that this hidden gem in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles, California is every bit a Jordan Brand basketball mecca.
On Thursday, we were among select invitees to experience the Jordan Hangar’s grand opening. As you enter the cavernous arched space, you are greeted by a sign-able Los Angeles skyline mural, Michael Jordan’s iconic “Why I Succeed” quote, and Hollywood Walk of Fame style stars of every Jordan Brand athlete on the floor. The corridor hosts a display of never released set of Air Jordans 1 through 28 in white and red, and a pair of Air Jordan XX9 on an individual pedestal. Just to the right of the hangar, you will find a Jordan Brand showroom which showcases Blake Griffin‘s Jordan Super.Fly 3 and Chris Paul‘s Jordan CP3.VIII alongside their respective apparel collections.
On Thursday, we were among select invitees to experience the Jordan Hangar’s grand opening. As you enter the cavernous arched space, you are greeted by a sign-able Los Angeles skyline mural, Michael Jordan’s iconic “Why I Succeed” quote, and Hollywood Walk of Fame style stars of every Jordan Brand athlete on the floor. The corridor hosts a display of never released set of Air Jordans 1 through 28 in white and red, and a pair of Air Jordan XX9 on an individual pedestal. Just to the right of the hangar, you will find a Jordan Brand showroom which showcases Blake Griffin‘s Jordan Super.Fly 3 and Chris Paul‘s Jordan CP3.VIII alongside their respective apparel collections.
The showroom also houses individual components of the Super.Fly 3 and CP3.VIII to learn more about their performance capabilities. There is also a set of iPads, each sporting an interactive shopping experience in which you can mix-and-match Jordan Brand apparel. Once you have decided on the product you would like to purchase, you may do so directly from the iPad and have it shipped to your home.
To the left of the hangar is the Take Flight Player Lounge, where players can relax on a luxurious sofa in front a massive flat screen TV to play NBA 2K15 on Xbox One. Deeper into the lounge you will find NBA quality locker rooms for the home and visiting teams greeted by a large Jumpman logo. Each of us had our own individual locker stocked with Jordan Brand socks, basketball shorts, training shirt, basketball jersey, and a pair of the new Jordan CP3.VIII.
Once everyone was suited up we were able to go to the center of the hangar, where Chris Paul challenges you via large video cube to a series of dribbling drills that focus on both hands to test your ballhandling skills. To the left of the dribbling station, there is a footwork station where you stand on a mat that has five pinpoints identical to that of dice. An iPad then highlights random dots to which you must react and match by stepping on corresponding dots to measure your quickness and reaction time.
Next to the footwork station. A launchpad measures the amount of force you create as you explode into a vertical leap, and a leaderboard displays who has the most explosiveness in their vertical jump. Adjacent to the launchpad, a Jordan Brand truck doubles as a design studio for customizable Jordan Brand apparel. You are able to select from a series of exclusive Jordan Hangar graphics in any color you desire. Once you have your gear customized, your height will be measured where you will proceed to jumping and testing your vertical on a vertical measuring pole.
The back end of the Jordan Hangar is where you will find an NBA style dream basketball court boasting the iconic Jumpman logo on center court, with the CP3 logo and BG logos in front of each free throw line.
Once we arrived at the basketball court, Jordan Brand president Larry Miller welcomed us, sharing that the purpose of the Jordan Hanger is to have a home for Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, other Jordan Brand athletes, as well as anyone else connected to the Jumpman ecosystem. Mr. Miller was pleased with the success of the Jordan Brand Terminal 23 in New York City, so it was only right to create a home on the West Coast in Los Angeles.
From there the game was on. Teams were chosen for a night of full court basketball games. Everyone was able to take flight in their CP3.VIIIs, a sneaker with a great snug yet flexible fit thanks the Flight Web fit system, and great responsiveness on the court thanks to the Nike Zoom unit under the forefoot. This shoe will definitely provide the stability and support that Chris Paul needs as he goes on to his quest for his first NBA Championship.
Enjoy James’s recap photos of the Jordan Hangar below.
