Air Jordan X – The Comeback Sneaker

The Air Jordan X came out during a time when Michael Jordan uttered two legendary words at a press release: “I’m back.” With those two memorable words, Michael Jordan left the diamond behind and returned to the world of basketball. It’s no wonder why the Air Jordan X is often referred to as the comeback shoe.

Not Approved by Michael Jordan

The Air Jordan X featured full-length Nike Air cushioning, full grain leather uppers, speed lacing and an outsole that lists Michael Jordan’s accomplishment up until 1994. However, Michael never approved the Air Jordan X. Tinker Hatfield and Michael talked about the design but never settled on what it should look like. That is why there are subtle differences between the earlier Air Jordan X and the later Air Jordan X. One of these subtle differences is the leather strap across the toe that was removed in later versions of the Air Jordan X

Was Nike Ready for Michael’s Comeback

It appears that was unaware of Michael Jordan’s return to basketball. While Michael Jordan was preparing his comeback, Nike was re-releasing older models of the Air Jordan series. The retroed sneakers were the Air Jordan I, Air Jordan II and the Air Jordan III. Another clue that Nike had no idea was the fact that the sole of the AJX featured an honorary list of awards that Michael Jordan received while he was in the NBA. This list includes:

• 85 ROOKIE OF YEAR
• 86 63 POINTS
• 87 SCORING TITLE
• 88 DUNK CHAMP
• 89 ALL DEFENSE
• 90 SCORES 63 POINTS
• 91 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP
• 92 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP
• 93 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP
• 94 BEYOND

Different Colors for Different Cities

The Air Jordan X was issued in different color variations for different U.S. cities. There were a total of five city colors available for the Air Jordan X. Various team colors were released in very limited quantities and samples. The selected teams were:

• The Sacramento Kings
• The New York Knicks
• The Orlando Magic
• The Seattle Surpersonics
• The Chicago Bulls

Player Samples of Air Jordan X

Many player samples of the Air Jordan X were also released. Some NBA stars were issued player samples that featured their number instead of the number 23. When Michael first returned to the NBA, he wore the number 45. Therefore sample Air Jordan X’s with the number 45 were issued as well. Michael Jordan wore the Air Jordan X that had the number 45 on the side when he returned to the NBA.

Air Jordan X In The Media

Air Jordan X Commercial – Dream