Nike Cortez

The Nike Cortez was released at the peak of the 1972 Summer Olympics, and quickly gained interest by the general public.

The two friends became business partners soon after Knight bought the distribution rights of Onitsuka Tiger brand athletic shoes from Japan for the USA.

Soon thereafter they decided on the name "Cortez", which paid tribute to Hernan Cortés, the Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire.

[6] In January 2013, four Hispanic teenagers were targeted in a shooting in a Brentwood, California neighborhood after being asked why they were wearing Nike Cortez shoes.

Co-founder and Olympic-class track trainer Bill Bowerman was set on designing a running shoe that provided both comfort and durability.

[8] The foam is measured to be generously placed in more significant parts of the shoe with intentions of offering comfort, absorbing road shock and providing other health benefits.