John Kim 
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
