- Jordan 3 Black Cement
These are it, the Air Jordan IIIs in black cement,
undoubtedly and without question the nicest Air Jordans of All Time! At least
at the time of writing they are. This was the first year, 1988, where the
Jumpman logo was used in lieu of the wings as well as a basketball shoe that
wasn’t the traditional high cut. The faux elephant print would also become a
fixture with the Air Jordan design along with high quality leather. Nike also
advertised heavily with these shoes, using Spike Lee and Michael Jordan;
remember Mars Blackman standing on MJ’s shoulders saying, “Do you know, do you
know, do you know?” Jordan averaged 35 points per game in these kicks and they
continue to be the most popular Jordans of all time.
- Jordan One BredWith a 1985 retail price of $65, the first installment of the Air Jordan shoe was the most expensive basketball shoe on the market. One of the more famous Jordan photos of all time has him way up high, close to the rim, wearing gold chains and wearing these Air Jordans in black and red. That year, his rookie year in 1986, MJ also had his 63 point playoff performance against the Boston Celtics and, although the Bulls couldn’t get past Larry Bird that year, Jordan gave the world a glimpse of things to come.
- Jordan 4 White CementAny of the top three Air Jordans could almost be interchanged, however, despite the Air Jordan IV being one of the most popular in the entire series, it didn’t have a lot of innovative firsts, but rather went with what worked and there’s nothing wrong with that. Spike Lee teamed up with MJ for a second time to rekindle a great marketing campaign from the year before, the Jumpman logo worked on the IIIs and it was here to stay. The cut of the shoe is actually very similar to the Air Jordan III, save the breathable mesh and the plastic heel tab. This shoe could easily be #1 on any given day
- Jordan 11 BredFrom a performance standard alone, the Air Jordan XI is one of the most popular basketball sneakers. The Air Jordan XI was voted “the top shoe of all time.” Also of trivial note is that MJ was wearing these shoes in the film Space Jam and because of the shoe’s style, patent leather and all, Jordan was quoted as saying that you could wear the Air Jordan XIs with a tuxedo. While wearing these shoes on the court, Jordan returned to his old ways in his first full season after his retirement: All-Star selection and All-Star game MVP, NBA scoring champ and league MVP, and NBA Finals MVP and NBA title winner – for the fourth time.
5. Air Jordan 6 Champagne Metallic Green
http://www.newjordans2015.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Air-Jordan-6-VI-Retro-Champagne-Bottle-Pro-Green-Metallic-Gold-Chilling-Red-Black-3.jpg
What do you do after you win your
first NBA title? You drink champagne and smoke cigars, two things Michael
Jordan would do frequently. The shoe itself is a high shine green and the
tongue an equally shimmering gold to resemble a champagne bottle. And even more
awesome is the would-be foil that would cover the bottle’s cork – on these
shoes it’s a gold ring with the Jumpman logo on the face.
6.
Air Jordan I “UNC”
In 1985, Nike signed Michael Jordan to a 5 year contract for
around $2.5 million, which was an absolute steal for Nike. Today, however,
Jordan makes about $100 million a year in Jordan Brand royalties alone. When he
did originally sign with Nike, he was coming off an NCAA title and Olympic Gold
Medal and, like other NBAers who are proud alumniis, Jordan is a Tar Heel.
These Jordans certainly capture that connection with their simple, yet classic
Chapel Hill colours.
7.
Air Jordan 13 “He Got Game”
Shame
on you if you don’t remember the film, He Got Game, where Ray Allen
played a young basketball player named Jesus Shuttlesworth, whose father Jake
in the film, played by Denzel Washington, purchases a pair of Air Jordans. The
film is a culmination of some of Spike Lee’s best social commentary work, along
with perhaps the best collaborative, cross genre, musical ensemble of all time
– Public Enemy and Buffalo Springfield, who used the hook from “For What It’s
Worth” for their song “He Got Game.” Great film, great shoes.
- Jordan 11 Concord (1945)The Air Jordan XI is an excellent basketball shoe for a variety of reasons which are forthcoming, so this entry will focus on its cultural significance and where Michael Jordan was in his career at the time. In short, Michael Jordan wore two other numbers while playing in the NBA. One was the #12, which he wore on Valentine’s Day in 1990, after his #23 was stolen from the Bulls’ locker room. The other was when he came out of retirement wearing the #45, the number that he wore while playing baseball for the Birmingham Barons. Additionally, Jordan’s #23 was actually retired by the Bulls on November 1st 1994. In sum, Jordan came back to the NBA in 1995 wearing #45 and the Air Jordan XI with the #45 on the heel serves as a reminder of that time in his career
- Jordan 10 Bulls over broad wayThere are a couple of things that make these particular shoes special, aside from how awe-inspiring they look. Firstly, Jordan was fresh out of retirement and was looking for a stage to reclaim his status as the best baller on the planet; he chose Manhattan and the New York Knicks as the backdrop for his 55 point performance. Secondly, MJ was wearing the number 45 at the time, which he did wear for a handful of games before going back to the number 23. The “Bulls Over Broadway” Xs have a great narrative behind them, high quality red leather contrasted with black in all the right places and these Jordans unquestionably belong on Broadway.
Really noticing the extra effort and little details put in each entry! very interesting to read!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to read
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