Like the Air Jordan 7 'Pantone', the Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Pantone' was originally showcased as part of a sample collection during the 2010 World Basketball Festival. It was so popular that Nike put it into production for release in 2014. This colorway dropped as part of a dual shoe Christmas release called the 'Ultimate Gift of Flight Pack', alongside a similarly-hued version of the Air Jordan 29. The 'University Blue' colorway is an homage to Jordan's college days as an NCAA Championship-winning Tarheel at the University of North Carolina.