Air Jordan XVI 2012 Retro – Unreleased “Cherrywood” Sample
February 23rd, 2013 by John K. | 28 comments
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The Air Jordan XVI signified many points in the legacy of the Air Jordan as well as in Michael Jordan’s career. As we all remember, Jordan wore the XVI for a short period when he finally returned to the NBA as a Washington Wizard, but on Nike’s side of things, the Air Jordan XVI was the first model since the Air Jordan II that was designed by someone other than Tinker Hatfield. Senior footwear designer Wilson Smith was behind the Air Jordan XVI, but he brought back some important elements from the Tinker era like the translucent outsole from the Air Jordan V and patent leather from the XI, but Smith welcomed the idea of a gaiter that truly gave the shoe a distinct aesthetic never before seen on an Air Jordan model. 2012 was intended to be the year of the XVI Retro, but as we’ve reported in recent headlines, that was completely scrapped. We do know that the Cherrywoods were intended to make a return, so peep this gallery of this unreleased sample and let us know if you’d welcome a Retro release in 2013.
Photos: theclosetcollectors
i have the OGs right now in a size 9 w/gaiter @detroittrae on twitter
best 16 colorway
Love 16's
Everybody should know by now that these will not drop until alot of hype is build around these. As you see only 21 comments on a shoe that hasnt released in many years besides the cdp 16. SN show'd a few 16's so far and their was small account of comments posted. From a business stand point nike expects numbers and when these originally dropped ppl cared less. If the demand pick up for these like nike is expecting them too trust these will dropped. They're creating this buzz and released the information that the 16's were too dropped to get ppl into it. They know ppl want more retros beyound the 14's but are ppl willing to buy them. Watch once these get hyped up these will drop.
Come on tutti (chappelle cc)
I like 16's but none of the cw's make me say .....dam
YES, would welcome w open arms, even more if we could get em w cherrywood patent on toe box. just me.
before somones reminds ne that they never had patent on toe box, i happen to think it would they would Xtra dope w cherrywood patent toe box.
These need to be retro bring em out
They need to release these!
Yep once again JB sucks for skipping on these. Such a clean look.
Yeah... Again JB sucks for skipping on these for more ish that will hit the outlets.
So JB was pretty much going to retro most (if not all) 16s in 2012?? What a tease!
And YES SN. You guys know we would welcome a retro release in 2013. Stop asking that same question every time you make a post of every sample 16s
Ready for anything above Jordan 14s!
I was a little annoyed at the prior unreleased XVI samples, but now I'm mad. BRING THESE BACK!
These are one of the post (relevant) career pairs I wish I never got rid of...(XV obsidian, XVII copper, XXI red suede, and any XVIII)
My number 1 grail! I'd still love an OG pair, but I'll definitely cop a few of these when, my bad, if they drop.
These are so dope! Theyve killed off every damn retro up to 14, ran them into the ground, I'm ready for the fire 16/17/18/19/20's that there wont be any lines for!
so excited for these
@HundredBlackCoffins i doubt they will release
@TheKid 2013 man have faith
dope as fuck
i dont really like the changes they made with these but but what an opportunity missed by jb with the whole 16 retro being scrapped i guess the kilroy pack was more important
@inTheNameofQuen They made the changes so they can release the real OG version four months later at a $40 markup.
I still have my OG cherry woods. Plenty people sleep on those fa da wheats.. but these were alwayz 1 of my favorite 16s
These are so dope. I definitely would have copped if they released