It’s still months away, but the Air Jordan 4 Retro Black Cat is already one of 2025’s most anticipated sneaker releases. The third-ever iteration of the fan-favorite style is expected to be released on Black Friday and ahead of the launch, a first look at what’s said to be the upcoming pair has surfaced.
Images of a ’25 Black Cat Air Jordan 4 Retro were shared by @zsneakerheadz on social media. As previously noted, this year’s version of the sneaker will for the first time feature Nike Air heel branding in place of the Jumpman logo. The rest of the colorway retains its signature details including an all-black nubuck upper along with blacked-out TPU wings and rubberized mesh.
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The Black Cat Air Jordan series has become beloved by fans since its 2006 debut. The name comes from one of Michael Jordan’s many nicknames, one which designer Tinker Hatfield shared an anecdote about in 2017.
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“When he saw the board and heard me mention the words ‘Black Cat,’ he stopped me. He just stopped me dead and said, ‘How did you know?,” Hatfield told The Undefeated. “I’m like, ‘How did I know what?’ He goes, ‘How do you know what my secret nickname is? It’s only used by best friends.’ I said, ‘I didn’t know anybody ever called you the Black Cat.’”
First introduced on the Air Jordan 4 in ’06, the Black Cat theme has since been featured on numerous Air Jordan sneakers, both officially and unofficially. Notable inclusions are the Air Jordan 3 Black Cat, which was released in 2007 followed by its first-ever reissue this year, and the Air Jordan 13.
As for the Black Cat Air Jordan 4 specifically, it has found a new fan base since its ’06 debut, which ended up discounted at many retailers. Over the years, as the style grew more scarce, it also became increasingly coveted and by the time it was eventually rereleased in 2020, the Black Cat colorway experienced a much quicker sell-through.
Even then, its lore would grow more in the years to follow, with resale prices surging from the sub-$500 range to just shy of $1,000 within less than two years. The stealthy style was also featured on a coveted 2019 pony hair version of the sneaker designed by Nordstrom senior vice president of merchandising Olivia Kim.
Although the images pictured here are of questionable origin, they should provide a good idea of what to expect when the Air Jordan 4 Retro Black Cat finally rereleases. The sneaker’s full colorway is Black/Black/Light Graphite, its SKU is FV5029-010 and it is currently set to be released on Nov. 28 for a retail price of $225 from Nike’s Snkrs app and select Jordan Brand retailers.