Michael Jordan joined the Washington Wizards because he wanted to know if he still had it. In this game against the Charlotte Hornets, he had it.
Mike was pulling out all the moves, namely his lethal mid-range jumper that was money on this night. On one play, his quickness on a post-up froze Baron Davis in his sneakers, leading to an easy layup. His post-up game was also pure, with no defender able to stop his fadeaways. His last bucket was one of the most difficult of the night, a sweeping jump fading to the right over the outstretched arms of 7-footer Jamal Magloire. Swish. At that time, Mike had become the oldest player to eclipse 50 at age 38. This stood for more than a decade before a 39-year old Jamal Crawford topped it.
The shoe Mike wore for this game was the Air Jordan 17. This sneaker paired Zoom Air in the forefoot with the new Tuned Air unit in the heel to provide different support in different areas of the heel. The traction is made to look like a golf shoe to play up Jordan’s hobby. The chrome clip on the heel provides support, while also taking inspiration from MJ’s love for Aston Martin cars.
The white and blue Wizards home colorway worn in this iconic moment can be found HERE.
You can find other colorways of the Air Jordan 17 at StockX, GOAT, Flight Club, and Stadium Goods.
Cover image via Medium
