‘Black Cement’ Air Jordan 3 2024 Retro: Where to Buy

The Air Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement’ is back. The latest retro for the colorway, which is one of the most celebrated Air Jordans of all time, will release this Saturday, Nov. 23, for $220. The sneaker is an undisputed classic, worn by Michael Jordan in his heyday and kept relevant through re-releases in the decades since. This year’s “Black Cement” Jordan 3 retro (style code DN3707-010) does not come with the “reimagined” designation like other recent high-profile Jordan retros that make ahistorical changes to old shoes. Instead, it’s a sneaker that’s very much intended to be true to the original.

It also fits true to size—buy your standard size if you’re tracking down this Air Jordan 3. The “Black Cement” Jordan 3 retro for 2024 comes in full-family sizing ranging from adult ($220) down to big kids’ ($150), little kids’ ($90), and toddler sizes ($75).

Where can you get the “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3 retro? It’s not a particularly limited release, so pairs should be available at most sneaker spots with decent Jordan accounts. That’s not to say the shoe will be easy to get; “Black Cement” Jordan 3s have long been a coveted model, meaning people will come out in droves for them. Big box sneaker stores like Foot Locker and JD Sports will have the “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3, as will boutiques like Kith and SNS. Of course, the “Black Cement” Jordan 3 will be available directly via Nike, which will release the shoes here at 10 am EST on Saturday.

And if you miss out on the actual retail release, there are other options. One thing about big Jordan releases like this is that they usually end up restocking, so for people who are willing to be patient, more chances could emerge. There’s also the resale route. Resale prices on sites like StockX here and GOAT here should be relatively low (although likely slightly over retail) as “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3s will be produced en masse.

Between the high volume and the steady flow of retros, the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” is one of those sneakers that feels like it’s always around. It’s a shoe that’s maintained its aura of greatness, which was first established by Jordan himself and later managed by Jordan Brand’s retro program.

Air Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement’ Releases

The Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” is one of the most popular Jordan 3 colorways ever. Complex has championed the sneaker, calling it the best Air Jordan 3 of all time. Jordan Brand has returned to it again and again, reissuing the sneaker regularly since its 1988 debut. Which years have the “Black Cement” Jordan 3s come out?

The Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” will have been released seven different times once the 2024 pair hits this weekend. After the ‘88 pair, Nike brought the shoe back in ‘94 as one of the first Air Jordan retros. The “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3 came back again in 2001. There were ‘Black Cement’ Jordan 3 retros in 2008 and 2011, both of which featured the Jordan Jumpman logo on the heel instead of the original “Nike Air” branding. Jordan released the sneaker again in 2018, adding the “Nike Air” mark on the heel.

The 2024 ‘Black Cement’ Air Jordan 3

There are a handful of changes that separate the 2024 “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3 retro from previous versions of the shoe.

The most noticeable update is the treatment on the elephant print panels that wrap the heel and the toe of the Jordan 3. On many pairs of this year’s Jordan 3 “Black Cement,” the lines on the print aren’t as dark and contrasting as they are on previous retros. This difference is particularly noticeable when you compare the 2024 release to the 2018, which has dark black lines in the elephant print. The first Jordan 3s from ‘88 tend toward lighter lines, like those on the 2024 pair. There’s some inconsistency in the 2024 pairs, and not all of them use the lighter lines.

The leather on the 2024 “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3 is different from that on the 2018 pair—this time around it’s still tumbled, but the texture on the tumbled leather is more subtle and smooth.

A less noticeable difference on this year’s pair is the height and bulk of the tongue. The tongue on the “Black Cement” Air Jordan 3 from 2024 is shorter, thinner, and overall less exaggerated compared to the last retro, from 2018.

The general consensus from longtime Air Jordan collectors is that the tweaks make this new “Black Cement” Jordan 3 the best yet recreation of the original 1988 shoe. Its shape is sleek and close to the silhouette of the first Jordan 3.

Regardless of which retro you prefer, there’s one change on the sneaker that isn’t up for debate: the price. At $220, this year’s Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” retro is the most expensive of all the Jordan 3 “Black Cement” pairs that came before it. It’s not a huge price jump though: the last retro of this colorway that released, in 2018, was $200. And if you’re part of the crowd that believes the 2024 “Black Cement” Jordan 3 is the best retro yet, the $20 hike is a small price to pay for historical accuracy.