Shop Air Jordan 12 Sneakers

Once worn by the great Michael Jordan himself at one of his most famous games. But it wasn't just the number 23 of the Chicago Bulls that made this shoe model famous, but rather the very special situation MJ found himself in at the time. The infamous flu game in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals in 1997 against Utah Jazz. Stricken with a highly dangerous man flu, Jordan appeared to be in poor shape to win the match in his usual fashion. But it was to remain only at the appearance. For Jordan brought the team 34 points and 8 rebounds and accordingly carried the Chicago Bulls to victory against Utah.

A constant companion in this difficult game was his recently released Nike Air Jordan 12. From a marketing point of view, it was a full commercial success, even if it most likely came from unintentional roots. It seemed like nothing could stop MJ, and perhaps it was because of the shoes? ;) Nevertheless, this legendary game drew a lot of attention towards Jordan and his latest model. Everybody wanted to own the shoes, which could supposedly make one invincible on the basketball court — a perfect foundation for the future popularity of the Nike Air Jordan 12. 

Nike already had a lot of competition of their own in terms of the unique selling points of their basketball shoes. Well-known models like the so-called Foamposite or Shox already delivered chic designs at that time, and so the question arose: "What else can you impress with?" Believe it or not, the origin of the Air Jordan lies in fashionable Japanese women's shoes from the 19th century. Michael Jordan has always been a meticulous follower of the fashion world, and he makes no secret of his interest in women's fashion. One of the main elements MJ used for the design of the shoe was the typical Japanese motif of the rising sun. This aspect is particularly noticeable in the stitching on the sides of the model, which is undeniably characteristic of the look. The stitching is then supposed to embody the rays of the rising sun. The typical imprint of the number 23 was also to be given a special place, in this case. The decision was later made to place the number on the tongue of the shoe, as opposed to the original plan of replacing the usual 23 with a Two-3. Jordan's idea was to create an innovative design and to abandon already existing features. 

Of course, on-court performance was an integral part of the shoe's development. Jordan may have seen himself as a great fashion queen, but his profession was still putting balls in the basket. So naturally, the shoe should continue to prove itself primarily on the basketball court. Accordingly, the so-called Zoom Air unit was used for the first time in an Air Jordan model to ensure the most comfortable running experience possible. A modified herringbone pattern on the sole should also ensure that the shoe can offer unprecedented traction on the court. A safe running experience on the court with maximum manoeuvrability was the goal here. In addition to this enhancement, an improved carbon plate was also installed to provide a lighter feel on the foot. During the production of the Nike Air Jordan 12, however, a lot of emphasis was also placed on an affordable alternative to the usual shoes with the Air unit. At the time, these weren't so affordable and therefore not very approachable for many. However, this was to be counteracted with the newly developed model in order to make it accessible to a larger target group. Thus, the well-known MJ imitator should not miss out on the matching shoes. 

To remind you once again of the importance of the legendary Flu Game, we have to take a look at a very special model of the Air Jordan 12. The retro version of the already famous shoe was a huge sales success, and that's without really changing anything.

The first release of the Air Jordan 12 Retro dropped in 2003 and, as usual, was sold out in no time. What made the rework of the original shoe so special was the red and black colourway and the typical motif of the rising sun. The ultimate MJ fans will, of course, immediately take notice of this colour scheme. The shoe was inspired by the famous model from the Flu Game. Even six years after the release of the OG, everyone was clamouring for the infamous AJ12, and all because Michael Jordan wore this model during a flu. If only marketing was always so simple ;) So that you don't fall by the wayside like some hardcore fans, you should make sure to download our free Grailify app so you will never miss an Air Jordan release again.

Countless Air Jordan sneakers have already crossed the auction tables of Goldin Auctions, Sotheby's and other auction houses. At this point, you might think that a popular Air Jordan 1 "Chicago" would top the list of most sought-after sneakers, but far from it! Next to the Air Jordan 13 "Bred", which was featured in The Last Dance and sold for $2.2 million in April 2023, is the Air Jordan 12 "Flu Game" (1997). This is not a new auction record, but who would have thought that an AJ12 could be more expensive than an Air Jordan 1? In June 2023, a bidder offered $1.3 million for the pair signed by MJ. Simply crazy!