Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have had a solid outing so far in the 2024-2025 NBA season, with the Slovenian superstar averaging nearly 30 points and just above eight rebounds and assists per game. Throughout this season, Doncic has taken the court in his Jordan Luka 3, the latest signature sneaker from his line with Jordan Brand, and plans to launch a slew of colorways next year. One pair, in particular, has caught our eye as it calls back to an iconic Air Jordan 4 colorway from the past — the Air Jordan 4 Motorsports.
It’s fitting that Luka tapped into the energy of this classic Jordan 4 colorway as the Luka 3 takes design cues from the field of high-performance vehicles and has had multiple colorways inspired by the sport of racing. For those who don’t know, the Jordan 4 Motorsports were designed by Mark Smith, one of the most legendary figures in Nike’s history who had a hand in projects like the Air Yeezy, Jordan 9-15, and countless other sneakers in the Nike archives. Michael Jordan tasked Smith with designing gear for MJ’s racing team in 2006, which included a special Air Jordan 4 only given to team members of his AMA Superbike team, Michael Jordan Motorsports.
Collectors and sneakerheads sought after the pair for over a decade until Jordan Brand decided to release the colorway to the public in 2017 and followed it up with an Alternate version a few months later, which featured a black-based design. Luka’s third model pays homage to the legendary sneaker with a similar black, game royal, and white color palette, applying black hues to the textile that features wavy striations to evoke the image of a speeding vehicle. Stark white hues hit the tongue, collar, and heel, while game royal shades are found on the plastic reinforcements of the top eyelet, the midfoot Isoplate, and the lateral toebox.
An obvious homage to racing is located both on the midfoot and lateral toe, as a black and white checkerboard pattern is surrounded by the aforementioned game royal TPU. Branding for Luka and Jordan takes on a metallic silver finish, as seen with the alternating Jumpman and Luka logos on the tongue and heel tab. The Cushlon 3.0-laden midsole finishes the design in black, white, and royal blue, paired with a blue and white outsole.
The Jordan 3 Luka Motorsports will release in Spring 2025 through Nike and select Jordan Brand retailers online and in-store. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is $130. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Images via Nike
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
