Throwback Thursday: Air Jordan XII Black/Varsity Red OG

Earlier this week, photos surfaced and info spread about an upcoming retro Air Jordan 12 “Flu Game” that honors MJ’s 38 point performance while playing in the 1997 NBA Finals with a bad case of the flu.  For this week’s Throwback Thursday we reached into the vault to pull out the original pair from ’97.  While a few changes were made to the upcoming retro release, we wanted to give you a look back at the OG.

Despite coming in a Nike box, it was the first Air Jordan shoe to not have any Nike logos or markings on the inside or outside of the shoe.  Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the Air Jordan XII was inspired by the pre-WWII Rising Sun Japanese flag which will be remembered with a retro release later this year.  While there will long be debate regarding what shoe from the Air Jordan lineup was the best built, there are many arguments in favor of the Air Jordan XII.  The shoes upper was a thick, rich leather that would hold up indoors and out.  The soles featured herringbone traction as well as a midfoot carbon fiber shank for added stability.  Lastly, something that many still to this day appreciate is the Nike Zoom Air cushioning that made its debut in the Air Jordan XII.

As much as we love to see retros return, nothing can replace the original.  Click here to see additional photos.