After years of postseason losses to the Detroit Pistons, Michael Jordan finally got over the hump during the 1990-91 season, starting the championship legacy of the GOAT. The special season saw MJ lace up the Air Jordan 6, a shoe that was inspired by one of Michael’s German sports cars to play off the speed and class of the vehicle. Tinker Hatfield ran with many of the elements that made the AJ5 successful. This includes the lace lock, and the partially translucent outsole and visible Air Max unit in the heel. Neoprene was added to the lower portion of the tongue to make the shoe lighter and provide a closer fit. The unique upper part of the tongue features large holes and combine with the heel tab to make it easier to slip on the shoes.
Prior to this season, MJ had lost three consecutive playoff series to the Pistons – who publicly employed the “Jordan Rules” to get the ball out Mike’s hands. This season, the added wrinkles of the triangle offense from Coach Phil Jackson helped space the floor and allowed the rest of the Bulls to succeed. After sweeping the Pistons in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, Michael was magic against the Los Angeles Lakers (pun intended) with plays like his switching-hands layup leading MJ and the Bulls to their first championship.
As you’d expect, the AJ6 was popular among celebrities, with popular figures in the era like Jerry Seinfeld and Macaulay Culkin donning the championship sneaker. The sneaker later regained prominence around 2010 after rappers like Kanye West, Drake, Kid Cudi, and many others wore classic colorways at concerts and events. in 2019, rapper Travis Scott received his own Jordan 6 collab in olive green.
You can find the Air Jordan 6 at StockX, GOAT, Flight Club, and Stadium Goods.
