It all started with that Air Jordan IV, showing up with the monochrome blocking on top that was unlike any Air Jordan colorway we’d seen before. After that the Air Jordan XVI and Air Jordan XII did the same, suggesting that the super colorful pairs were part of some over-arching theme never to make it to retail, sort of in the same vein as the ‘History of Flight’ or ‘Pantone’ series. Well folks, Pandora’s box has officially been opened-it turns out the set spans quite the range, starting at the Air Jordan 1 and reaching all the way up to last year’s Air Jordan 2011, created strictly for display purposes in the Spring 2011 season just like the aforementioned collections. Every two pairs along the way sports a slightly different shade, with the 25 separate models included pretty much spanning what the rainbow has to offer. Hit the jump with us to check out the crazy Air Jordan ‘Rainbow Pack’ courtesy of brokeonjordans on eBay and let us know which pair among them you like the most. Photos: brokeonjordans
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As far as history goes, not only is the Air Jordan II is ‘up there’ among the most storied Jays in history, it’s is one of the most mysterious. A basic overview: the Air Jordan II is not a Hatfield product, but one of Bruce Kilgore’s, who set Nike Basketball to the level of sport-meets-style with 1982′s Nike Air Force 1. Some point to the Air Jordan II as the first truly distinct Air Jordan design as it was the first to carry an outside-the-box inspiration and concept (remember, the Air Jordan 1 was a mere spin-off of the Dunk); it was inspired by a 19th Century woman’s leather boot, using design lines and curves that made the sneaker appear less sporty and more towards the luxurious end of the spectrum, shedding the Swoosh as a whole and opting for a stylized ‘Wings’ logo that looked more like a symbol of a high-end luxury handbag than a basketball sneaker. It’s quite fitting considering all Air Jordan IIs were manufactured in Italy, and as consumers, we’re quick to believe that anything ‘Made in Italy’ will be built by premium craftsmanship, material, and design.
There’s plenty about the Air Jordan II that gives it a level of infamy of sorts; it broke the $100 barrier for the Air Jordan (we’re beyond double that today), and the original mold of the Air Jordan II was misplaced (either lost or stolen), forcing Nike to disassemble an original pair in order to re-create it for the 1994 Retro release. Just two colorways existed (and two similar low-top versions) – a stark contrast from the handful of team-based Air Jordan 1 colorways that were produced. The Air Jordan II was also a turning point for Michael Jordan’s loyalty to Nike, and it wasn’t until Kilgore was replaced by Tinker that MJ decided to stay with Nike and embark on such a legendary path to greatness. Although Kilgore’s tenure with the Air Jordan ended with the II, he is credited with bringing the luxury tier to the sneaker with the inspiration and the use of the faux-lizard skin material. We’ve got a look at a rare gem here – an Air Jordan II issue that was Made In Italy – so take a look and check out the steep price from this listing from gradykatz on eBay.
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Ever wondered why Fred Jones continued to get Air Jordan PEs despite a 7.5ppg career scoring average and only one season in double-digits? It’s not just because of that 2004 Slam Dunk championship; Jones kept the Jumpman on display at Madison Square Garden and joined the likes of Jared Jeffries who were chosen as Jordan reppers largely because of location, location, location. A level above those guys (but a tier or two beneath current Knick Carmelo Anthony) was Quentin Richardson, a career 10 and 5 player who labored for New York during the Isiah Thomas era. There weren’t all that many highlights during that dark period before the coaching and superstar lineup changes, so this Air Jordan II PE made up for Q-Rich stands out as one of the bright spots. They’re done in a style similar to the other Air Jordan 2 player exclusives we’ve seen with simple embroidery on their lateral ankles; does the high-contrast Knicks palette make these the best of the AJII PE bunch? Let us know when you click through for more images and check out the auction available from the.warehouse on eBay.
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Many, if not all, of the Air Jordan Player Exclusives we’ve seen over the years include a special embroidering that features the player’s nickname, like Sugar Ray, Nook, Q-Rich, and so forth. Mike Bibby, however, was the first to feature his own logo on his Air Jordan PEs – the ‘TD’ that serves as an on-foot shout-out to his Team Dime crew. We’ve seen it present in most of his PEs, but none are as obvious like the one seen in this Air Jordan II Low, which features his ’1Z’ and ‘TD’ logo on the upper. This Air Jordan II Low PE is certainly one of the older ones we’ve seen thus far as it features a black/purple finish to match Bibby’s SacTown uniform, so take a look at this crisp Player Exclusive below and get in on the bidding action in this listing from cnoriega_2007 on eBay.
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Ray Allen’s got a penchant for ’3s’, but he wouldn’t be averse to rocking the IIs here and there. Here’s a look at an ‘Away’ Player Exclusive of the Air Jordan II made for the three-point king; it features a full black nubuck upper with a glossy mudguard panel on the upper, pre-dating the similar Black/White QF release of October 2010. These arrived on Ray’s doorsteps roughly one year after the magnificent trade that brought the Big Three (and an NBA ‘chip) to Boston, but as we know, Ray graduated to the popular XIII PE later on. While these don’t own the distinction of being game-worn, these are, however, autographed by Ray on both toe-boxes! Peep the gallery below, because they’re available now from the.warehouse on eBay.
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Fat Joe was recently crowned as one of the twenty-five greatest sneakerhead celebrities of all-time, but if that list had a hard ranking, there’s no question that Joe would be, at the very least, in the Top 5. Fat Joe’s been stashing kicks for years (some of you may remember his infamous sole-licking scene in MTV Cribs), and he recently decided to show off, through Twitter, some of his Air Jordans (as well as his rudimentary counting abilities). One pair of Air Jordan 1s, two pairs of IIs, three IIIs, a quartet of IVs, and a starting line-up of Vs make up fifteen total pairs in this small peek into his massive collection. Check out Fat Joe‘s Air Jordans after the jump and let us know which of the fifteen he posted you like best!
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Welcome to hump day, Sneaker News readers. If you need something to get your day moving a bit faster, here’s a look at all the NBA Feet action that took place last night; in an unprecedented move Mario Chalmers of the Miami Heat wore the Air Jordan II ‘CDP’, while the Golden State trio of Monta, Nate, and McGuire rocked their Air Jordans for the second consecutive game. Kyle Lowry, frontrunner for MIP of the season, continued filling up the stat-sheet while wearing the Nike Zoom Kobe VI TB in red/white, while teammate Kevin Martin stuck by his Air Jordan 2010 Team. Stephen Jackson wore a White/Red Jordan Big Ups, while Ben Gordon and DeJuan Blair rocked their own personal Kobe VI iDs. Rip Hamilton was seen with the Air Jordan III ‘Black Flip’ yet again. For a complete look at all the notable kicks, check out all the NBA Feet action below! via ESPN.
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As of mid-November 2011, the Air Jordan x Doernbecher Freestyle Collection now runs five models deep. Sheridan Brenton (Air Jordan II, 2007), Tony Taylor (Air Jordan 1, 2008), Jordan Dark (Air Jordan VI, 2009) Cole Johanson (Air Jordan III, 2010), and Isaiah Scott (Air Jordan IV, 2011) make up the exclusive group of children selected to colorize the Air Jordan for each of the past give Nike x Doernbecher Freestyle Collections, and with each stunning colorway is an intricate storyline telling the brave tale behind each designer. Here’s a look at the Air Jordan x Doernbecher Freestyle Collection in its entirety; we’re certain there are devoted Air Jordan fanatics out there who can boast of having the entire set, but for those who have some incomplete slots, these gorgeous images should give you plenty of reason to go out and pick up the rest. You might remember that great poster of the Air Jordan Doernbechers, but clearly an update needs to be made every Holiday season! More shots await you below, so take a look and let us know which Air Jordan x Doernbecher installment is your personal favorite. via Kenlu.
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