Michael Jordan, the greatest player ever to suit up in the NBA, turns 53 today. And although he hasn’t hit the court in more than a decade, the basketball icon’s legacy lives on through his coveted signature sneakers.
With Jordan’s birthday here, Footwear News took a look back at the numbers associated with some of his biggest sneaker moments.
1: The Air Jordan 1, his first signature shoe and a favorite of sneakerheads and Jordan fans alike, was released by Nike in 1985.
6: Jordan won six titles during his career. To commemorate this, a “6 Rings” shoe was released, featuring elements of the signature shoes Jordan wore throughout those winning seasons: Air Jordan 6, Air Jordan 7, Air Jordan 8, Air Jordan 11, Air Jordan 12, Air Jordan 13, and the Air Jordan 14. Jordan was also named the MVP of the NBA Finals six times.
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9: The Air Jordan 9 was released after Jordan retired from basketball for the first time in 1993. Last year, the “Spirit” iteration of the Air Jordan 9 Retro was released, a nod to the Jordan statue the Chicago Bulls unveiled on Nov. 4, 1994, outside the United Center in Chicago. He never played a pro game in the Air Jordan 9.
14: Jordan was a 14-time NBA All-Star and won his last NBA Title in the Air Jordan 14.
18: The Air Jordan 18 was the shoe the legend wore on the court in his final NBA game with the Washington Wizards.
23: The number Jordan wore for much of his career. The Air Jordan XX3 would also make headlines when it was released in 2008, employing unique design features such as Jordan’s fingerprint used as the shoe’s traction pattern and placing his thumbprint on the back of the tongue.
30: Nike has released 30 signature shoes for the basketball icon, including 12 after he played his final game in the NBA. The latest shoe, the Air Jordan XXX, is what Jordan Brand ambassador and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook wears on the court.
72: The Jordan-led Chicago Bulls won 72 games during the 1995-96 season, scoring them the best regular season record in NBA history of 72-10. Last year, the 72-10 iteration of the Air Jordan 11 Retro was released, commemorating the accomplishment that still stands to this day.
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