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In 1988, Michael Jordan began his fifth year as an NBA professional, and at the 1989 NBA All-Star break, Jordan debuted the Air Jordan IV. Tinker Hatfield was brought on board once more for his second Air Jordan shoe, the first being the Air Jordan III of the previous year. Michael Jordan went from ready to leave Nike at one moment to fully embracing the potential the next due to the outstanding design of the Air Jordan III. Would Michael’s expectations be too high for the Air Jordan IV?
Since the Air Jordan III and the introduction of elephant print to the Air Jordan signature line, each and every Air Jordan model has been signified by one defining feature; For the Air Jordan IV, it was the use of a plastic-coated mesh upper panel that gave the AJ4 its calling card, as the special material was implemented into the design to add a lightweight yet stylish characteristic to the shoe. Other beautifying features are the triangular wing-flaps that acted as the lace eyelets, the all-new midsole construction that featured visible Air, and a new ‘Flight’ logo written in a flashy script font.
Aside from design features and trademarks, each Air Jordan model is recognized for one specific event in Michael Jordan’s storied career. For the Air Jordan IV, standing about all the great single-game performances, dunks, and scoring displays was ‘The Shot’, that came during the closing seconds of Game 5 of the First Round Playoff Series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Considered to be the greatest game-winning shot in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan suspended himself in mid-air at the top of the key, disregarding the laws of inertia, and sank a buzzer-beating, series-closing jumper, celebrating with a vicious set of fist-pumps before being mobbed by his teammates, while head coach Doug Collins scampered around the court and the Cleveland crowd stared in silence and utter disbelief. Continue reading for the entire Michael Jordan Through The Years: Air Jordan IV feature and stay tuned to the next installment of this Sneaker News Michael Jordan feature.
32 Responses to “Michael Jordan Through The Years: Air Jordan IV”
December 2nd, 2010 at 9:22 pm
best js ever
December 2nd, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Wow sneakernews, you spend more time talking about this guy than anything else. Why don't you just start writing him some love poems?
December 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
I need another pair of cements, I've worn mine a total of maybe 10 times since '99 and my dumb ass decided the last time I wore them to pick up a friend of mine and jump up and down. Popped both air units and cracked the cement nasty….. stupid! What's better is that when JB does release these again they won't have NikeAir on it….. stupid!
December 2nd, 2010 at 9:49 pm
wish i was alive to watch him in these shoes
December 2nd, 2010 at 9:52 pm
yay im first
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:23 pm
My favorite Jordan's of all time! I can't wait for the cement to re-release!
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Check out the guy in the orange shirt on page one. That dude just shit his pants when MJ hit "the shot"!
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:44 pm
its b/c of that man and what his shoes meant to many of us that made us sneakerheads, which is the reason we visit this site… its also a good chance for some of the younger folks who didn't get to watch Mike play for the Bulls to get some knowledge… so loosen up your laces and relax.
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:55 pm
if you dont like it, dont click it.
if it wasnt for "this guy", there prolly wont even be sneakerheads walkin around the streets.. or even hypebeasts lmfao
December 2nd, 2010 at 11:11 pm
"Every pic is worth a thousand words". Can't wait for the next installment of the AJ V's. RESPECT 23.
December 2nd, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I'm getting real tired of your dumb a$$ comments everyday. Respect my balls
December 2nd, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Ha! Love poems, we don't write him love poems, we write him checks. And you are obviously blind.
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:16 am
I'd give my whole collection for 2 wearable OG pairs.
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:55 am
Yeah Sneaker News, I'm blind, which is why I can read your comment, you idiots. You should change the name of this site to Jordan-love-fest.com. Why are you writing the dude checks anyways, if he has more money than some countries do? Like I said, you're complete morons.
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:03 am
Cements are the hottest of the hot jz !!!!!!
For some reason V came before iv ….
Nice rare photoshoots thx SN
December 3rd, 2010 at 8:34 am
THE BEST
December 3rd, 2010 at 8:46 am
I have two ds pairs both size 10.5 with hangtags and boxes from 1999… but wouldn't let them go for nothing….well maybe something…;)
I wrote an article in the 26th issue of Dime mag about how much the shoe impacted the lives of us in brooklyn when it dropped…
December 3rd, 2010 at 10:00 am
You're right about that
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:47 pm
SNEAKERNEWS SHUT DOWNED El Ultimo Hombre PERMANENTLY!!!!! XI
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:55 pm
That flew right over year head.
December 3rd, 2010 at 12:55 pm
I usually hate these 'i'm first' comments but you're so far off from first that it's actually funny.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 pm
I,m not even from the states and i think Jordans the dogs bollox! Thats good by the way. Go visit another site ye muppet.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I was in grade school from the mid 80s to the early 90s in chicago and they were going crazy for jordans as much then as they do now, cutting school, standing in long ass lines just to cop….thats why there for the most part released on saturdays now so kids wouldn't cut school, of course my parents weren't paying all that money for sneakers back then…shit I wish mikes now were still selling for what the retail was then….
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Yeah, it's funny & ANNOYING! (It's like elementary kids are on this site)
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:45 pm
If u got a PROBLEM say it to my FACE we can KNUCKLE UP ANY TIME ANY PLACE.
December 3rd, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Dude. Young Joc? Really? Thats like a milli yrs agooo
December 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Had a feeling someone would point that out….. and doesn't "a milli" sound like one of Lil' Wayne's song? Made me laugh when u said, "that's like a milli yrs agooo" a little bit to exaggerated don't u think?
December 3rd, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Some people just dont understand
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:55 pm
should let him speak his mind… as small as it may be.. i dont agree wit him, personally i love the series but he shouldnt b banned
December 20th, 2010 at 12:42 am
thats like a fuckin science blog not talking about Albert Einstein
May 14th, 2012 at 3:56 pm
I'll wear MJ any day over them gay ass Yeezy's or one of those loud ass color combos on half these whack ass shoes out here the 3,4,5's are the Nicest J's ever made There would be no shoe game if it wasn't for MJ
May 14th, 2012 at 3:59 pm
$110 I remember them days With the flight suits to match so fresh so clean