As the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off, the battle between 23XI Racing and NASCAR continues to simmer in the background. Michael Jordan is currently battling NASCAR in a legal dispute over the charter system. While the lawsuit unfolds, 23XI Racing has chosen a rather controversial way through Tyler Reddick to remind everyone that Jordan doesn’t back down from a fight.

Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry entered the spotlight with a bold new paint scheme featuring the “Jumpman” logo and the phrase “UNBANNABLE.” The design is a nod to Jordan’s iconic brand, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the NBA’s infamous attempt to ban the Air Jordan 1 sneakers. However, it also serves as a subtle jab at NASCAR. As the car rolled into testing before the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, awkward tensions were high, and Reddick was caught in the middle of the storm.

Tyler Reddick leaves everyone in suspense

Given the circumstances, Bob Pockrass from FOX Sports questioned Reddick about the awkwardness of driving a Jordan-branded car while the team’s owner fought a legal battle with NASCAR. Instead of diving into the controversy, Reddick deflected the question with a carefully measured response.

“Well, I mean, Jordan Brand is a global brand, right? And they have a life outside of racing,” Reddick explained. “They sell shoes across the entire world. So yeah, I can understand that, but I know the idea and what they’re going to do. I wish I could talk to you about it today, but keeping in mind the rollout and what they got planned, there’s just not a lot you can talk about.”

While Reddick’s words hinted that something bigger was in the works, his reluctance to discuss the true subject at hand suggested that 23XI Racing was deliberately keeping certain elements under wraps. The phrase “UNBANNABLE” on the car wasn’t just an homage to Jordan’s sneaker empire, it was a calculated power move in a high-stakes game of power Olympics, and let’s just say Jordan is not one to concede the upper hand.

Reddick’s comments also revealed his excitement for what’s to come: “It’s a great-looking race car. I’ve gotten to see it at airspeed a few times. It was going through tech today at Charlotte Motor Speedway. So yeah, excited to get to the weekend and be able to answer the questions when the time is right.”

The question remains, what are Jordan and 23XI Racing really planning?

Is the “Unbannable” message on Reddick, more than just a marketing gimmick?

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23XI Racing’s decision to put “UNBANNABLE” on Tyler Reddick’s car was no accident. The phrase directly references Michael Jordan’s historic clash with the NBA in 1985 when the league attempted to ban his Air Jordan 1 sneakers for violating uniform rules. Nike turned the controversy into one of the most successful marketing campaigns in sports history, cementing the shoe’s legacy in pop culture.

Now, on the 40th anniversary of that ban, Jordan Brand has revived the messaging across its marketing platforms. Fans visiting the Air Jordan website can find shoes hidden behind a black rectangle, symbolizing the ban. The connection between Jordan’s sneaker empire and NASCAR’s charter dispute is impossible to ignore. The fact that NASCAR tried to literally ‘ban’ 23XI Racing from entering the Cup Series as a chartered team, only for it to backfire, is reason enough for Jordan to do this. After all, he has never been afraid to take a dig at anyone.

23XI Racing initially posted images of Reddick’s car on social media, only to mysteriously delete them hours later. Speculation suggests that concerns over the “UNBANNABLE” message’s perception amid the ongoing lawsuit prompted the move. Some believe it was an intentional flex, while others think it may have pushed the boundaries too far. Either way, the decision to wipe the post only fueled further intrigue.

Despite the controversy, Reddick’s car still carried the phrase when it rolled into Bowman Gray Stadium. With NASCAR returning to the track after 54 years, the tension surrounding the event was already high. Throw in the shadow of a high-profile lawsuit and a calculated marketing move from Jordan Brand, and the atmosphere only grew more intense.