The shoes Michael Jordan was wearing when he took his last shot in the NBA—um, OK, his last shot as a Bull—were the Air Jordan XIVs. Normally they would have never been unveiled that early, but Jordan knew he would be retiring this time, and he (and Nike) thought it would be a good idea to get the next shoe out there. Especially on his feet.
You can’t fault the logic, because it worked out better than anyone could have possibly hoped, but even if MJ had never worn the XIVs in an NBA game, it would still be an all-time classic sneaker. Modeled after Jordan’s Ferrari 550 Maranello, the XIV was a sleek roadster of a shoe (the lowest “mid” yet) with swoopy lines, silvery mesh-backed air vents and a Ferrari-like Jumpman “shield.”
Since Michael Jordan wasn’t on NBA floors for the lockout-shortened 1999 season, it was up to others to carry the on-court legacy. Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, among others.
Air Jordan XIV
MOST RECENT
- ‘Gonna Look Like a Travel But It’s Not’: James Harden Working on New Move
- Kyle Korver, Milwaukee Bucks Agree To One-Year Deal
- Bucks Agree To Two-Way Deal With Frank Mason III
- Wizards Name Tommy Sheppard General Manager
- Mavericks Waive Kostas Antetokounmpo
- Karl-Anthony Towns: Tom Thibodeau’s Player Development a ‘Slap in the Face’
- Pacers Agree To Deal With Justin Holiday
- NBA Veteran Kosta Koufos To Become Highest Paid American In EuroLeague
- Magic Agree To Re-Sign Amile Jefferson On One-Year Deal
- Erik Spoelstra: ‘This is a Really Important Summer for Dion Waiters’
- SLAM 223 Is On Sale Now 🏆
- Cam Reynolds Agrees To Two-Way Deal With Bucks
- Tobias Harris: ‘We’re for Sure at the Top in the East’
- Nike Files Countersuit Against Kawhi Leonard
- Pacers Agree To Deal With Amida Brimah
- Shaquille Harrison, Bulls Agree To One-Year Deal
- Mike D’Antoni: Houston ‘One of the Favorites in the West, if Not the Favorite’
- Dwight Howard Thanks Kobe Bryant for Calling Him ‘Soft’
