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Air Jordan 4028 Surfaces in Black/Metallic Gold

Jordan Brand is bridging heritage and performance with the Air Jordan 4028, a hybrid silhouette that grafts the Air Jordan 28's signature high ankle collar onto the Air Jordan 40's contemporary tech stack. A clean Black/Metallic Gold colorway marks the latest in a series of 40th anniversary nods to deeper cuts in the Jordan archive.

By Ava Rodriguez|April 2, 2026

Air Jordan 4028 in Black with Metallic Gold branding, featuring the high ankle shroud design inspired by the Air Jordan 28

The Air Jordan 40 has established itself as Jordan Brand's most technically sophisticated performance model to date, but its 40th anniversary narrative extends beyond innovation into revisionism. Among the hybrid expressions taking shape, the Air Jordan 4028 stands as perhaps the most unexpected—a direct callback to Tinker Hatfield's 2013 creation that polarized aesthetics while commanding universal respect on court.

The Air Jordan 28 remains one of basketball footwear's most divisive silhouettes. Its towering, boot-like ankle shroud was a calculated risk, departing sharply from convention in both design language and market positioning. Yet across positional play, the 28 earned legitimate performance credentials. The Flight Plate technology delivered elite traction, lateral support, and court responsiveness that placed it among the franchise's most capable on-court performers during its tenure.

Air Jordan 4028 in Black with Metallic Gold branding, featuring the high ankle shroud design inspired by the Air Jordan 28 - detail view 1

Design & Execution

With the 4028, the heritage conversation is purely visual. The silhouette reprises that signature AJ28 high ankle casing—the most identifiable design marker of the original—while delegating performance responsibility to the Air Jordan 40's full-length ZoomX foam and Zoom Strobel construction. It's a clean separation of form and function: aesthetic tribute layered atop contemporary engineering.

Air Jordan 4028 in Black with Metallic Gold branding, featuring the high ankle shroud design inspired by the Air Jordan 28 - detail view 2

The Black/Metallic Gold colorway opts for restraint. A black upper provides neutral ground, while metallic gold detailing on branding elements provides measured visual contrast without competing with the silhouette's architectural features. Two additional colorways have already circulated—a Black/Barely Volt variant and a Rui Hachimura player exclusive—signaling Jordan Brand's commitment to exploring the 4028 across its release calendar.