During his 15 seasons in the NBA, Michael Jordan featured an impressive range of sneakers. Most of the time, those same models were released right at the time Michael wore them. In some other cases, a specific model was released and Michael was the first and only one to wear it.
Some of these situations have been remembered by Jordan Brand with special editions, such as the Jordan 1.5 (that mixed Jordan I and II in the style of what Michael himself did in 1985) the AJV Fire Red with the 23 embroidered or the Jordan III Wizards PE. However, other models worn by Michael are kept almost secret.
As an exercise in memory and, perhaps, as an idea for future Jordan Brand releases, we recall five models that were created exclusively for Mike. Perhaps, *luckily, one day they will reach the rest of the world.
The unknown slipper
The Jumpman logo was created during a photo shoot in 1984. In one of the daily photo sessions, apart from AJ1 samples, Michael was wearing a shoe that no one has been able to identify for sure, but they have a certain resemblance to the Nike Basketball, a child’s model with the colors and textures of a basketball.
25 years later, with Michael at the Wizards office, we saw him wearing Jordan Phly Legends that, according to himself, reminded him of those Nikes from that very first photo session.
Nike Ship Hybrids
Although the agreement was already firm a few weeks before, Michael Jordan officially signed with Nike on October 24, 1984, two days before his NBA debut. During the following weeks, and while they were preparing what would become the Jordan I, designer Peter Moore was responding to Michael’s requests with models made specifically for him that mixed elements from other models.
Did Jordan want a more reactive midsole? Let’s try different ones. This was years before the current tennis hybrid court models (e.g. Pro Circuit or Enterprise).
Jordan I Samples
Without any doubt, the model that has had the most variations is the Air Jordan I. A late contract, a first contact and the indecision of a first-year player caused Michael to have almost unlimited versions of his first signature.
Different heights, different positions for the Wings Logo and even Dunk or Jordan II midsoles. The strangest of all was the one used after his foot injury, with an ankle insertion.
Jordan VI Split Toe
1991, third game of the finals between the Bulls and the Lakers. With 3 seconds left in the game, Michael Jordan scores to force overtime at Inglewood, and finally defeat the former Showtime team. A few hours later, Michael found out that he had injured his big toe on that play. He would not return to train with the team.
For the fourth game they prepared something special: a custom Jordan VI with an open toe to make the forefoot wider. Michael started the game, passed the ball quite a lot, shot a few shots and, as soon as he could, he swept to a pair of the regular AJVIs. The Chicago Bulls won that match and Michael gave this custom pair to Sonny Vaccaro, his contact at Nike, who were fired shortly after.
Jordan XI Wrapped
Early sketches of the Jordan XI were really different from the final version. In the style of the models that Nike created for Dennis Rodman, the new Jordan had an asymmetric lacing and a tongue that, from one side, hugged the entire foot.
However, prototypes adopted a more traditional lacing system, even though that tongue was kept in samples that Michael himself used. There are those who, with a lot of vision and some hope, affirm that in the retro card of the Jordan XI the ones that appear are one of.
At FOOTDISTRICT we do have a selection of Jordans that you can actually buy.
Cover image by Woojin Hwang