After losing to Dominique Wilkins in 1985, Michael Jordan put his best foot forward for the 1987 Slam Dunk Contest.
Mike looked like he retained all his hops after missing the 1986 contest with an injury. His first dunk was a variation of his famous rock-the-cradle jam, packing the basket with two hands instead of one. This didn’t impress as much as his third slam, leaping from the free throw line for a tough 49. Mike finally got a perfect score on a double clutch, windmill slam that was finished with a power right-handed flush.
Michael finished the first round on top, leading him to a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers Jerome Kersey. In the final round, Kersey put up lackluster scores which gave MJ an advantage after each dunk. He finished a double-clutch right-handed slam that was picture perfect. He then finished of Kersey with a repeat of the double clutch, windmill to secure his first Slam Dunk Contest win.
Mike had announced that he was giving each member of the Bulls roster $1000 of the $12,500 first place prize. Great dunker and a great teammate.
MJ laced up the Air Jordan 2 Low for this moment. The shoe is pretty much the same as the high-top, just with a chopped off collar. Michael Jordan’s second signature sneaker features a luxurious feel with Italian leather and faux lizard skin panels. To give the Jordan line its own identity, the signature Nike swoosh is replaced by the wings logo on the tongue. Full-length encapsulated Air is in the midsole, providing extra comfort to the wearer.
The white, black, and red AJ 2 Low that Jordan wore in the Dunk Contest can be found HERE.
You can find other colorways the Air Jordan 2 at StockX, GOAT, Flight Club, and Stadium Goods.
Cover image via Sports Illustrated