Over the last five weeks, we’ve watched “The Last Dance” with bated breath, reliving memories of the Bulls dynasty.
ESPN’s 10-part documentary, which concluded May 17, was as visually stunning as it was engaging. The obvious reason for that is Michael Jordan, whose style and personality are on display every second he spends on the screen.
The series features footage of private Jordan moments, including some of the most iconic sneaker cameos in television. We watched a maniacal Jordan lace his Air Jordan 13 “Playoffs” as he barked that assistant coach Tex Winter should prepare to “slide a ring on your finger.” With “The Last Dance” behind us, here’s a look at the 10 best Jordans featured in the docuseries.
Air Jordan 7 ‘Barcelona’
Jordan’s brand allegiances came to the forefront during his time in Barcelona with the Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics. As a Nike athlete, Jordan refused to display the Reebok logo on his warmup jacket during the medal ceremony. Instead, he draped the American flag over his shoulder as he accepted his second gold medal. In the actual on-court moments, Jordan wore the Jordan 7 “Barcelona”, which featured a white, silver and navy blue colorway to match the international jersey.
Air Jordan 5 ‘Fire Red’
This sneaker silhouette came at a turning point in Jordan’s career. Already deep into the consciousness of basketball fans the world over, Jordan was a star with his own signature shoe and the adoration of millions — but he couldn’t beat the Pistons. He wore the Jordan 5 sneaker in the 1989-90 season as he lost to the “Bad Boys” Pistons for the final time. Jordan sported the Jordan 5 “Fire Red” when he scored a career-high 69 points in March 1990. His final postseason lost to the Pistons came in the Jordan 5 “Metallic”, which appears on the original cover of Sam Smith’s “The Jordan Rules.”
Air Jordan 14 ‘Last Shot’
This sneaker needs no introduction to Bulls fans. It’s the last time we saw Jordan as a member of the Bulls, and “The Last Dance” provided new images and angles of “The Last Shot” over Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan crossed over (and pushed off?) and moved to his toes to hold the shot form. It was all so graceful, magnified when you watch the replays and view still images. Jordan gave us a great look at an iconic shot and an iconic sneaker.
Air Jordan 13 ‘He Got Game’
In one of the rare moments involving Jordan’s family in “The Last Dance”, his two sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, are at the arena shooting around with the team in 1997. They’re both wearing the Jordan 13 “He Got Game,” which takes its name from the Spike Lee movie featuring Denzel Washington and Ray Allen. It almost felt like a commercial when Jordan dropped to one knee to tie one of his son’s shoes.
Air Jordan 6 ‘Infrared’
Jordan finally made it to the promised land in 1991 and looked good doing it. With the Jordan 6 “Infrared” on his feet, Jordan led the Bulls into the NBA Finals against Magic Johnson and the Lakers. The Bulls dominated the series, winning in five games. Jordan’s left-hand reverse over Sam Perkins, his former North Carolina teammate, became a defining moment in the Air Jordan legacy.
Air Jordan 12 ‘Flu Game’
Now that “The Last Dance” has been seen in full, it finally has become clear that the “Flu Game” never was really a thing. Jordan supposedly ate bad pizza — or so the story goes — and struggled through Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. But struggling for Jordan meant scoring 38 points in front of a hostile Salt Lake City crowd. He accomplished that while wearing the Jordan 12 “Flu Game,” a sneaker that might be in need of a new name.
Air Jordan 4 ‘Bred’
“Why would I think about missing a shot I haven’t taken yet?” In “The Last Dance,” Jordan’s mentality on the court is explained at length. Win or lose, he never was afraid of the moment. He hit a huge shot as a freshman at North Carolina to help the Tar Heels become national champions and that mentality carried over to the NBA. Jordan has a long list of game-winners, but “The Shot” over the Cavaliers’ Craig Ehlo in the 1989 playoffs remains near the top. The Cavs had the Bulls’ number in the 1988-89 season, but none of that mattered when Jordan caught the ball in the closing seconds, pivoted in his Jordan 4 “Bred” sneakers and knocked down a shot before time ran out. The images of that celebration — Jordan’s arms and legs outstretched and his signature shoe on display — are iconic.
Air Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement’
All-Star Weekend was held in Chicago in February for the first time since 1988, when Jordan started his summit to the top of the basketball world in earnest. Jordan won All-Star Game MVP while wearing the Jordan 3 “Black Cement.” He went on to nearly sweep awards at the end of the year, taking the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team.
Air Jordan 1 ‘Chicago’
The best sneaker moment of “The Last Dance” comes when Jordan decides to wear the Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” in his final game at Madison Square Garden as a member of the Bulls in 1998. They say fashion is pain, and Jordan can attest to that. In the documentary, he admits his socks were soaked with blood after he played in the Jordan 1, his first signature sneaker with Nike.
Air Jordan 11 ‘Bred’
Jordan wore his best sneaker in the Bulls’ best season, rocking the Jordan 11 during the 72-10 season. There are several iconic colorways, including the Jordan 11 “Concord” and “Cool Grey”. But the “Bred” stands out even in this group, with a black patent leather upper and red sole. Jordan wore this in the postseason of the 1995-96 season, when he cemented his comeback and went 15-3 en route to a fourth NBA title.
