The 40-Year-Old Legend. Michael Jordan was set to retire at the end of the 2002-03 NBA Season, his second overall with the Washington Wizards and fifteenth overall in his career. By season’s end, MJ averaged 20 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game for the entire season; for anyone else, that stat-line could’ve been a career year, but for Michael, it was his lowest seasonal output. Michael did manage three 40-point games during the course of the season, which included a 45-point outburst against the Hornets on February 1st and a 43-point performance just days after his fortieth birthday. It didn’t matter that the Wizards were a sub-.500 team, or that Michael would officially end his career on a losing note; it was about his uncontainable love for the game, a passion that served as the driving force behind six NBA Championships, 5 MVPs, 6 NBA Finals MVPs, 10 Scoring Titles, and one of the most unlikeliest yet celebrated comebacks in the history of professional sports. It marked the next page of NBA superstar history, led by rising stars Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, and Vince Carter, players who have risen to stardom using Michael as a blueprint. The league was in good hands.
There were plenty of memorable moments during his final season. Michael Jordan was not voted as a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team, but was instead selected as a reserve. Starting Guards Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson offered their positions to Michael, who declined the generous offer. It wasn’t until moments before the game where Vince Carter shoved Michael, literally, onto the court right before tip-off. Michael Jordan typically shines brightest in the spotlight; he finished the game with 20 points, capping off an amazing performance with a go-ahead bucket with seconds to go via his signature fadeaway jumper, followed by his signature raised fist in celebration. The second half of the season served as a farewell tour for Michael; arenas were packed to see Michael’s final moments in action, hoping for a taste of 90′s dominance that Michael so easily possessed with his pump fakes, fadeaway jumpers, and clutch defense. In his final game as a professional, Michael, who was on the bench with just minutes to go, was coerced into the game by the chants of the Philadelphia crowd. Michael entered for one final minute of glory, and left with 1:45 to go, returned to the bench, and was given a 3-minute standing ovation by his teammates, opponents, the crowd, and the officials.
During his final season, Michael Jordan wore the Air Jordan XVIII, the eighteenth shoe in the Air Jordan Legacy. Designed by long-time Nike designer Tate Kuerbis, the XVIII was inspired by a various collection of Michael’s passions, which included Formula-1 racing, race-car driving shoes, fine italian dress shoes, and Michael’s own Lamborghini Murcielago. The Air Jordan XVIII was released in February 2003 in a Black/Sport Royal colorway, and later followed by a White/Sport Royal and White/Varsity Red version later in the year. Two low-top versions in White/University Blue and Black/Metallic Silver were also introduced that year, followed by a classic Chicago Bulls Black/Varsity Red in 2008. Continue reading for a full visual recap of Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan XVIII, and stay tuned to Sneaker News for the next installment of Michael Jordan Through The Years.
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It won’t take more than one or two original colorways for people to get excited about the Nike Air Griffey Max II release, but here’s a look at three all-new colorways headed for a Holiday 2011 drop. The first combines a grey with a Chlorine Blue accent, which to its credit is fairly close to Seattle Mariner uniforms, while the remaining two use new combinations of black/yellow and a metallic platinum like that on last summer’s Air Griffey Max 1 release. If you’re a newfound Griffey fan, you’ll definitely appreciate these three upcoming releases, so take a look at all three below and expect them in the last quarter of the year. via TSG.
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Sneaker News has shown you a number of late 2011 Nike Basketball previews over the last 24 hours and with the Zoom Hyperfuse having been such a monstrous hit since its debut last summer, you just knew its sequel would join the party. Have a look at these four new Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 colorways set to drop in Q4, each of which shows that just because the Hyperfuse 2K11 has room for more natural colorblocking options than its predecessor doesn’t mean they have to get too crazy. Each of these goes with a Metallic Silver Swoosh on the midfoot for a nice contrast to color studies in orange, blue, green and black, so click through to see the entire set and let us know which one’s your favorite. via aaronknows
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However paradoxical its name, there’s no denying the Air Jordan Sky High Low‘s appeal when it comes to summertime kicks with that classic athletic twist. Jordan Brand’s Blazer-esque silhouette is back with a duo of canvas colorways that offer a subtle punctuation to your warm weather fits, each of the pairs going with a tonal upper plus white midsole for maximum matching possibilities. The wolf Grey joints add tonal laces while a black pair goes for white strings plus a red tongue tag (a new addition since the April 2011 preview we saw last week) to get that immortal Chicago Bulls look, and both are available now at FinishLine.
Style: 440988-001
Color: Black/White-Stealth-Sport Red
Style: 440988-002
Color: Wolf Grey/White
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Sneaker Con NYC March 2011 just wrapped up this past weekend with a record turnout of patrons and vendors. It was certainly the biggest Sneaker Con yet, but it’s not time to test the waters of sneaker-crazed maniacs across the nation. The next stop is none other than Washington D.C., the nation’s capital and home to one of biggest sneaker regions of the country. Expect great hoards of sneaker heat, big-time vendors, and a special showcase by adidas Originals, but the driving force behind the best sneaker event in the world is you, the patron! If you’re in the area or are willing to take the trip, hit up Sneaker Con Washington D.C. – the first Sneaker Con outside of New York City, and show us how you get down. We’ve got full event information for you below so don’t miss out!
Sneaker Con
Saturday, April 2, 2011 – 12pm to 7pm
1333 H Street NE
Washington DC 20002
Between Linden CT NE & 13th St. NE
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LeBron James’ Nike Soldier line has taken some interesting turns since the first Soldier release, but one common denominator of the entire line (with the exception of the Soldier II) is the use of a strap on the upper. The Soldier V, however, features a completely unique strap construction, as it extends from the lace-placket to provide not only a cross-foot stability, but also on the in-step. The upper also features a Flywire panel that spans the entire upper of the shoe, with an outsole unit that combines visible Max Air on the heel and Nike Zoom on the forefoot – similar to the LeBron Soldier IV. A similar Zoom x Max apparatus can be seen on the upcoming LeBron 8 P.S. as well. These new Holiday 2011 colorways display a rainbow of team-based colors with grey/white outsoles, and like the previous Soldier releases, the Soldier V will likely be a popular performance shoe for college teams. Continue reading for another look at all five colorways and let us know what you think. via aaronknows.
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In India, cricket is more than just a sport. It breaks the barrier of grass field and equipment to Indian culture, permeating the lifestyle of billions and uniting the nation under one color – blue. With much of the world eagerly awaiting the meeting between India and Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup semi-finals, Nike pays tribute to the iconic sport by reinventing the Nike Dunk High, the Nike Basketball classic that has displayed an unparalleled versatility in sport and lifestyle fashion. Drawing upon the true colors of Indian cricket (vibrant blue tones and crisp white), the Dunk High features a blue and white upper with volt laces that matches the electricity surrounding the cricket stadiums and open fields. The ‘Be True‘ championed by Nike Sportswear is held dear to the hearts of the natives, and in particular, the four designers behind this amazing capsule of t-shirt graphics and designs. Archan Nair, Gautam Gajbar, Nida Mahmood, and Raul Chandra were each selected for this great project, exemplified by the statement “Cricket is synonymous with the word ‘Indian’.” Continue reading for a full viewing of the Nike Sportswear Cricket ‘Be True’ Collection as well as the upcoming Dunk High ‘Be True’ releases and let us know what you think of the collection.
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Suede and mesh is an unbeatable combination for retro runners and while the materials on this above pictured release are one-degree away, it’s particularly interesting to see the impact of their choice on the tonal grey and ice sole palette. The ‘Wolf Grey’ Air Jordan 5 comes off looking quite a bit different than the similarly shaded ‘Cool Grey’ Air Jordan XI thanks to its use of tumbled nubuck on the uppers, but it’s a nice coincidence that you can carry over pretty much any outfit you successfully paired with the Cool Grey Elevens to this May 14th release. Click through to see some new shots and if you happen to be one of the lucky group who can fit into the US mens sample size 9, grab one of the 5 pairs currently offered by Air-Randy on eBay.
Style: 136027-005
Color: Light Graphite/White-Wolf Grey
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