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The ’95-’96 Season for the Chicago Bulls was one for the record books; Michael Jordan led his team to an astounding 72-10 regular season record and an NBA Championship, earning the MVP trifecta from the regular season, All-Star Game, and NBA Finals. It also served as an astounding spotlight for the Air Jordan XI, which today is still attributed to Jordan’s winningest and most successful moments. Saying the previous NBA season was a tough act to follow is as much of a redundant statement as one can possibly be, but Jordan’s perpetual greatness has a tendency to leave us at a loss for words. The ’96-’97 NBA Season was just another chapter in the greatest story in NBA history, as Michael led the Bulls to its fifth NBA Title and 69 regular season wins, dismantling league MVP Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz in six games.
Despite his clear dominance over the entire league, some critics noted that Jordan was perhaps on the decline, as most star players do around their early 30′s. At age 33, Michael proved the detractors wrong while defiantly stating “Tell me I can no longer fly. I want you to.” and back up his words with another MVP-worthy campaign, a triple-double performance at the All-Star Game, and league scoring title while being named one of the best defensive players in the league. A June meeting with Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz was projected to be Michael’s toughest Finals opponent yet; Michael again quieted the critics by hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater in Game 1 and scoring 38-points in a legendary performance in a pivotal Game 5, one in which Michael put his team on his back while being hampered by a terrible flu. Game 5 of the ’97 Finals is now referred to as the ‘Flu Game’, one in which Michael displayed an ethereal power and greatness on the court while appearing terribly human and physically devastated on the sideline.
During the ’96-’97 NBA Season, Michael showcased the Air Jordan XII; it was designed once again by Tinker Hatfield, who drew inspiration from Misshoki (the Japanese flag) and the Rising Sun as well as a 19th-century woman’s dress boot. The Air Jordan XII featured unique stitching patterns on the upper, a reptilian material on the mudguard, gold-plated lace-eyelets, and full-length Zoom Air cushioning – a first for the Air Jordan. Five original colorways of the Air Jordan XII exist, with the most recognizable being the Black/Varsity Red colorway that Jordan wore during the historic ‘Flu Game’. Other’s included a Black/White colorway, which Michael wore during the Playoffs and the All-Star Game, a White/Red colorway, which was worn during the regular season, and a fourth pair, given a ‘Taxi’ moniker for its use of Taxi Yellow on the upper. A fifth Obsidian/White pair was also released, but was never worn by Michael in a game. The most notable Retro release of the Air Jordan XII was in fact the Black/Red ‘Flu Game’; it released in 2009 with special graphics commemorating Michael’s incredible scoring output during his time of illness. Was the ’95-’96 season a tough act to follow? Certainly, but only Michael Jordan was able to match or surpass his own accomplishments and create another legendary, storied chapter in his own career. Continue reading for a visual recap of Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan XII, and stay tuned to Sneaker News for the next installment of Michael Jordan Through The Years.
37 Responses to “Michael Jordan Through The Years: Air Jordan XII”
February 10th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
I remeber when these bad boys came out!!!
February 10th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
mite cop a pair of 12's. What's better the black/red pair or the white/red pair?
February 10th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Motumbo = PWNED!
February 10th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
The best jordans of all time. And one of Mikes biggest seasons
February 10th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
sweet
February 10th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
jerry sloan gone 22 years. cuz d.will being soft. cmon man
February 10th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
A.I. in The Question's still one of my favorite shoes of all time and those Uptempo 97's were the hot shoes huh? (I know these pictures were from 96-97)… Anyway XII's one of the best Jordans ever
February 10th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Best jordan ever.. aesthetically and for its history.
February 10th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
The 12s are my favorite Jordan model shoe.
February 10th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
I remember this game and when these shoes came out
February 10th, 2011 at 11:00 pm
like the team photo,robert parish was a bull?i ddnt know that.
February 10th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
white/red
February 10th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
I should have picked up the white/cherry reds last year.
February 11th, 2011 at 12:02 am
Y U EVEN ASK……
February 11th, 2011 at 12:02 am
Doofy
February 11th, 2011 at 12:03 am
Phil looking playa
February 11th, 2011 at 1:02 am
i love the 12s there is nothing wrong with these shoes =D
February 11th, 2011 at 1:04 am
hotttest are the playoffs colorway
February 11th, 2011 at 1:50 am
how about the uptempo's..! you should check that..
February 11th, 2011 at 3:33 am
Plz bring back da "playoff 12's" favorite and best J's Eva
February 11th, 2011 at 3:41 am
Sneakernews should do another feature when they're done with Jordan. Charles barkeley?
February 11th, 2011 at 8:08 am
1st page 2nd pic. This is a jordan post but damn I remember those Jerry Stackhouse Double Zoom Fila's. I wish they retroed those.
February 11th, 2011 at 8:30 am
man i really love these posts they remind me of a great time in my life….so refreshing
February 11th, 2011 at 9:21 am
Highly doubt it. But like they say diffrent strokes for diffrent folks!!! Death to fusions though!!!
February 11th, 2011 at 10:02 am
the look away pass is awesome
February 11th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
I got my Obsidian Blue 12's on right now! G.O.A.T …..seems like the day of the AJ12.
February 11th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
ONE OF THE BEST SHOES EVER…..
February 11th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
THOSE RODMAN'S TOUGH
February 11th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
shut the hell up..that has nothing to with this
February 11th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Man, do I miss those days. That pic with Iverson, wow I remember people claiming he was "the next Jordan"…. too bad he didn't live up the hype of the greatest player of all time. 10 Years from now we are gonna look back on the same thing with Lebron. No one can match Jordan.
February 12th, 2011 at 5:01 am
wow took the words right outta my mouth
February 12th, 2011 at 9:08 am
didnt live up to the hype? wasnt nobody calling AI the next jordan that was Penny, G.Hill, and laughably Harold Minor. AI was always seen as a unique talent, and being a futur HOFer aint bad for a guy who aint live up to the hype
February 12th, 2011 at 9:31 am
Love the Playoff XII's.
February 12th, 2011 at 10:08 am
those bring me back memories from childhood
February 13th, 2011 at 5:59 pm
What I would give for a pair of white/black playoff XIIs…
February 18th, 2011 at 1:35 am
Why do you call them Cherries? It has nothing to do with the shoe nor the hisotry!
It says Varsity red.
I simply call them the candycane XII's just based on the common name everybody calls them: White/red 12's.
February 1st, 2012 at 2:09 pm
wat up diz is ilonda