Air Jordan 14 (XIV)“Last Shot”

AIR JORDAN 14

The Air Jordan 14 was released in 1998-99, but one famous pair got on Jordan’s feet just in time before his retirement (Part 2)

On January 13, 1999 Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA for the second and what was supposed to be the final time. The NBA players union started a lockout on June 30, 1998 just a few weeks after Jordan won his sixth championship. Many speculate that the strike was too much for Michael to handle as he was one who just wanted to play basketball and not politics.

Going out with Style

Jordan left the NBA in no better style imaginable. Jordan pours in 45 points as the Bulls earn their second three-peat with an 87-86 Game 6 win over the Jazz. In the last 40 seconds, with the Bulls down four, Jordan: 1) drives for a layup to cut the margin to one; 2) strips Karl Malone on an entry pass; 3) fakes Bryon Russell to his knees and then drains the game-winning jumper with 5.2 seconds left.

And let us not forget that Jordan did all of this while wearing the Air Jordan 14′s. The Air Jordan 14′s were designed by Tinker Hatfield and took inspiration from Jordan’s Ferrari 550M.The Air Jordan 14 was the first Jordan shoe to come standard with metal tips as well as built in trivia. Each shoe (left and right) had 7 jumpmen making a total of 14. The back of the Air Jordan 14′s also displayed for all to see in Roman numerals that this was indeed the 14th shoe in the Jordan lineup.The Black/Red Jordan 14′s earned the nickname “Last Shots” because of the epic and legendary event that took place while on Jordan’s feet. These were the most sought after colorway as an original as well as a retro.The Retro Jordan 14 came out at the end of 2005. The shoes are to be released in a gazillion colorways just like the original Air Jordan 14′s. The original Air Jordan 14s were released in 8 colorways which would have set you back a total of $1,155 (5 mids $150 + 3 lows $135). The retro Jordan 14′s are to be released in at least 10 pairs at $150 a piece putting a $1,500 dent on your credit card if you love Jordan shoes like most collectors.

Though the Jordan 14 released in 2005 and 2006, they are going to be returning in 2008. Check out the Air Jordan Release Dates page for details. More info on Air Jordan 14, Air Jordan XIV

Air Jordan 13(XIII) Retro “Flint”

AIR JORDAN XIII

http://www.cradleshoestrade.com/productlist.asp?id=n1339

For the 1997-1998 season, designer Tinker Hatfield — inspired by Michael's cat-like play — drew up the AJ XIII. (He didn't realize Michael's friends had already nicknamed him "The Black Cat.")

The hologram on the upper resembled the eye of a panther and the outsole had a paw-like design. The XIII featured heel and forefoot Zoom Air, a Phylon midsole and podular tooling, making it one of the most comfortable Air Jordans in the series. A carbon fiber midfoot shank and asymmetrical collar were also featured on the XIII.

The Air Jordan XIII was originally released in five mid colorways and two low colors. Jordan wore the AJ XIII throughout the 1997-1998 season and into the playoffs (until he introduced the AJ XIV in the 1998 NBA Finals against the Jazz). Michael wore the white-based colorways of the XIII at home and the black-based versions on the road throughout the season.

Spread of Fakes

The Air Jordan 13 was the first Jordan shoe to be made in China rather than Taiwan and was copied to no end. There was a large number of fake Jordan 13′s that hit the streets in every ugly color combination imaginable.

More Retros

The Retro Jordan 13′s were welcomed and sold quite well. Jordan released only 2 colorways before Christmas including the ever so famous Black/Red Jordan 13 December 22nd. In 2005, Jordan released 10 more colorways which many saw as ridiculous. Low cuts were never a fan of Jordan collectors, and Jordan released 6 colorways in the low cut.

Air Jordan 12 (XII)Retro “Playoffs”

AIR JORDAN XII

Tinker Hatfield and Michael Jordan collaborated to create the durable, stylish Air Jordan XII as a follow-up to the XI.

Inspired by a women's fashion shoe and the Japanese flag, the Air Jordan XII was clean and simple. The rich leather upper was stitched to resemble a rising sun, while the toe and accent overlays were made of faux reptile leather. The XII featured the slogan "TWO 3" down the tongue, metal lace loops with Jumpman logos and a pull tab that ran up the entire heel that read, "QUALITY INSPIRED BY THE GREATEST PLAYER EVER."

Many Air Jordan heads were happy to hear the news that the Air Jordan 12 was going to be retroed; however, many collectors started to get irritated as more and more kept getting released. The original Jordan 12′s were released in only 5 colorways, but there were 10 colorways retroed when counting the women’s colorways.

On November 28, 2003, Jordan released the first of its kind – an online exclusive shoe that was sold in a package. The Black/Carolina “nubuck’s” were $200 and came with a matching hoody and hat. Many fans were happy to pay $200+ just for an exclusive shoe, but collectors were far from happy when news got out that Nike released this supposedly “limited” and “online exclusive” shoe to retailers to be sold at only $135 or less. Some pairs ended up at designerathletic for only $99.99 angering Jordan followers even more.

The Nubucks were not the only Air Jordan 12 release that angered Jordan collectors. Originally, the White/Carolina was a women’s colorway only made up to size 15W and in limited numbers in large sizes. These of course sold out opening day and hit the $200+ mark in a hurry. More were released as a general release only 2 or 3 months later making these shoes nothing special at all.

The other colors of the XII saw the floor during that season as well. Jordan wore the black/white shoe during 1997 playoff games. With the Air Jordan XII on his feet, MJ made his 11th All-Star game appearance, won his ninth NBA scoring title and was named first team All-NBA and first team All-Defense. He won his fifth NBA title and NBA Finals MVP while wearing the XII.

Beginning in 2003, the Air Jordan XII was re-released in several additional colors. all new color on site: http://www.cradleshoestrade.com/productlist.asp?id=n1338

Air Jordan 1(I)

AIR JORDAN I

In 1984, after winning a national title at the University of North Carolina and a Gold Medal at the Olympic games in Los Angeles, Michael Jordan was selected 3rd overall by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Draft. That year Nike also signed Michael to a five-year endorsement contract worth a reported $2.5 million (plus royalties). There was initially some skepticism over the hefty contract being given to an unproven marketing commodity, but MJ was quick to prove the critics wrong.

In 1985, Nike gave Jordan and his signature line of sneakers and apparel a unique logo — clearly, this line was created to be very different from Nike's previous basketball efforts.

Designer Peter Moore was given the task of coming up with the first Air Jordan shoe. The Air Jordan 1 featured the Nike Swoosh on the mid panel and a newly designed wings logo on the upper ankle. The first Air Jordan was similar in design to other popular Nike models released in the 1980s such as the Air Force 1, Terminator and Dunk. The Air Jordan I featured a Nike Air unit for heel cushioning, padded foam ankle collars for additional protection and a toe overlay for added lockdown.

Although the AJ 1 lacked technology, the colors and cultural significance set the sneaker industry on its ear. The Air Jordan 1 paved the way for colorful basketball sneakers. It transformed the way people looked at athletic shoes. During the 1985 NBA season, Michael wore the Air Jordan 1, which retailed for $65 — at the time, the most expensive basketball shoe on the market. The AJ I Black/Red colorway was banned by the NBA because of rules regarding shoe colors; Jordan was fined $5,000 for every game he wore them (Nike gladly footed the bill, as the fines created even more buzz around the Air Jordan 1). MJ's rookie campaign resulted in an All-Star appearance, Rookie of the Year honors and leading the Bulls to the playoffs after a four-year absence. Michael wore the Air Jordan I Red/White/Black as he scored 63 points against the Boston Celtics in the 1986 playoffs. Although the Bulls ended up losing to the Larry Bird-led Celtics, Michael showed that he was one of the bright young stars in the NBA.

AIR JORDAN 2(II) Retro

AIR JORDAN II The Air Jordan II was released in 1986 as the second sneaker in Michael Jordan’s line with Nike. Like its predecessor the model was led by designers Bruce Kilgore and Peter Moore, this time coming with a much more unique creation that toned down the Swoosh branding quite a bit. The sneakers were famously originally produced in Italy, boasting fine leather construction for a more luxurious feel.

Air Jordan 3(III) “Fire Red”

AIR JORDAN III

With buzz surrounding Michael Jordan and his signature kicks, Nike looked to corporate architect-turned-footwear-designer Tinker Hatfield to head up the creation of the Air Jordan III.

Hatfield's design of the Air Jordan III was unique in several aspects: • The Air Jordan "wings" logo was no longer present — it was replaced by the newly introduced Jumpman logo on the tongue
• The cut of the shoe was a mid, which had never been seen in the basketball shoe world before
• The midsole was crafted with highly sculpted polyurethane, which introduced a fresh look
• The visible Air unit was introduced to the Air Jordan line, allowing players to literally "walk on air"

Retro blues and Retro boom

Surprisingly enough, the first time the Air Jordan 3 was retroed in 1994, the shoe had limited success. When the Air Jordan 3 was sold again as a re-retro in 2001, it was a different story. The shoe was released in 4 re-retro colorways including 3 of the original 4 colorways except featuring a Jumpman on the back of the shoe instead of the famous “Nike Air” symbol. The Air Jordan 3 set the standard for all Jordan shoes to follow and is the biggest reason for success of the entire line. If you are interested in getting a new pair of Air Jordan 3s, visit the Jordan release dates page to stay current on retro Air Jordan releases.

Possibly the most distinct aspect of the Air Jordan III was the upgrade in materials. The upper was constructed of rich full-grain tumbled leather and was built to feel broken in — Jordan could wear a brand new pair every game without worrying about stiffness in the shoes.

Hatfield also chose to combine the tumbled leather with faux elephant skin. The elephant print was featured on the toe cap and heel of the kicks. (It also showed up on the bottom of the shoe box.)

Hatfield takes command

The Air Jordan 3 was the first of 14 Air Jordans designed by Tinker Hatfield. The Air Jordan 3 also carried more of Jordan’s name on the shoe since the man himself was an active part of the design of the shoe. The shoe was the perfect example of Tinker’s skill to blend fashion with function.

Air Jordan 5(V) “Metallic”

AIR JORDAN V

In 1990, Designer Tinker Hatfield continued to push the envelope with the Air Jordan line. His creativity and innovative thinking continued on several levels with the design of the Air Jordan V. The shoe featured an asymmetrical collar and the cut of the shoe was higher than the previous two Air Jordans. The V still had the sculpted midsole, but included a new pattern inspired by a World War II fighter plane.

The Air Jordan 5 also was the first Jordan shoe to have a clear sole. This not only added a nice look to the Air Jordan 5, but provided far better traction. The Air Jordan 5 also featured an iridescent reflective tongue and lacelocks.Yellow Soles Assist Retro Sales Though the Air Jordan 5 would sell just fine on its own, the fact that the shoes had clear rubber soles helped convince many Jordan collectors to buy a retro pair. The Air Jordan 5 soles would turn yellow over time and almost amber. The Jordan 5 is not alone with the yellow sole blues – the Jordan 6, Jordan 11, and Jordan 16 all had major parts of the soles made of clear rubber.The Air Jordan 5 was retroed in late 1999 in White/Black-Fire Red and Black/Black-met silver and once again there was a great demand for them. Retro+ models were also produced of the Air Jordan 5. One of them featured Michaels high school colors (Laney High School).The Air Jordan 5 is set to retro again in 2006. Keep your eyes open for these! If you are interested in getting a new pair of Air Jordan 5s, visit the Air Jordan Release Dates page to stay current on Air Jordan releases. More info on Air Jordan 5, Air Jordan V.