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Who would have ever thought that “Black and Red” would ever be too much to type or even too much to say? Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter at this point as the black and red color combo that Michael Jordan made famous for initially getting banned or that he famously would break out in the playoffs is best known today across all models simply as “bred.”
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were known to turn the game up a notch when they wore this colorway of shoes and won six NBA titles in the process. Below we outline the 10 best Bred Jordans of all time and whether or not you agree with the use of this slang, the shoes are the shoes, and let’s give them the praise they have earned.
10. Air Jordan 19
The Air Jordan 19 was the first model to release after Michael Jordan’s third and final retirement. The shoe’s arrival was slightly delayed in the launch white colorway, but the brand followed up the launch with this colorway that caught the love and attention of more Jordan fans. While MJ was playing Washington, Bulls colored shoes went on the back burner for the flagship Air Jordan, but while Mike walked off the NBA court for the final time wearing a Wizards jersey, he will always be remembered as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
9. Air Jordan 15
The Air Jordan 15 came at such a hard time for folks. For starters, it was the first Air Jordan since the Air Jordan 9 and 10 to release without Michael Jordan wearing them on the NBA court. To make matters more complicated for the newly created Jordan Brand, the $150 shoe did not have on-court support from the NBA thanks to the lockout. For the Countdown Pack run in 2008, Jordan Brand went to the vault and added some color to the midsole of the OG Black/Red colorway to balance the color better than the launch pair.
8. Air Jordan 18
This colorway was only used for the Jordan 18, which debuted in 2003 when it was released as a retro in a Countdown Pack in 2008. The black suede upper was originally paired with a royal blue midsole and liner, as MJ was playing with the Washington Wizards at the time. For the CDP, the red was used to give it the classic, and clearly beloved bred color-up.
7. Air Jordan 16
The Jordan 16 contained a very controversial design element–the gaiter. The leather flap could be removed to give a new look to the shoe, and also help your feet breathe a little. This was the first non-Tinker-designed sneaker in years, but the unique look was still a seller. Recently, a similar design and color scheme have been seen on Dwyane Wade’s feet in the 16.5.
6. Air Jordan 14
The “Last Shot” would prove to pre-emptively nicknamed, as Michael would return to the NBA (again) after wearing these in his triumphant 1998 Finals performance. The shot he’d hit to end his career (again) over Byron Russell of the Utah Jazz is still talked about to this day.
Did he push off?
Ask Michael that and he’ll ask you this–Did they call it?
5. Air Jordan 13
The Air Jordan 13 remains a favorite of many to this day, thanks to the fact that Jordan wore it so late in his career, when NBA Championships were commonplace. The outsole received inspiration from a panther, further paying homage to MJ’s “Black Cat” nickname. The hologram on the heel was yet another revolution for Jordan Brand, featuring a realistic Jumpman Jordan logo and number 23.
4. Air Jordan 12
Few know this, but the 2003 retro of the Air Jordan 12 Black/Varsity Red is where the term “Bred” originates. In the fall of 2003, a post to NikeTalk listed upcoming retro Jordan releases, and included in the list was a “J12 B./Red” coming in December. No photos were available and no product code to cross-reference was available either. Forum members worked backward to make the (correct) assumption that the B./Red was meant for the Black/Varsity Red colorway of the Air Jordan 12. Included in the replies was the nickname of the “Flu Game 12s” which originates from the fact that Michael Jordan wore this shoe throughout the 1997 NBA Playoffs including the NBA Finals Game 5 when MJ put up 37 points despite experiencing “flu-like symptoms.”
J12 B./Red did mean Black and Red Air Jordan 12, but who would have ever thought that a couple decades later not only would the “Bred” colorway nickname still carry on, but also be attached to a number of Air Jordans.
3. Air Jordan 4
The Jordan 4 is arguably one of the most wearable Jordans ever. The second shoe to ever feature visible Air from Tinker’s design stable, the uppers on these features nubuck, adding a matte finish. The mesh was also used along the midfoot. Spike Lee was an integral part of the marketing for this one, which was a trend started with the…
2. Air Jordan 11
The Air Jordan 11‘s patent leather upper, translucent sole, and amazing performance have left it the favorite of more collectors than any other silhouette. The “Bred” Air Jordan 11 has caused quite a stir between collectors over the appropriate name. Generally, a generational divide separates those who refer to this shoe as the “Playoff” Air Jordan 11 since they were unveiled and worn by Michael Jordan in the historic 1996 NBA Playoffs run, but starting in the 2010s, many began referring to them as the “Bred” Jordan 11s.
How do you refer to this classic?
1. Air Jordan 1
This is the one that started it all. While Michael Jordan’s shoes that were banned were technically the Nike Air Ship, Weiden + Kennedy and Nike played their cards right and had everyone convinced that the Air Jordan 1 was in fact banned by the NBA. Prior to the Air Jordan 1, Black and Red were almost never paired together by any brand, but ever since this shoe, it has become a colorway adopted by not just the Air Jordan line, the entire brand of Nike, and other brand competitors.
Nice Kicks dedicates its focus to cover upcoming new Air Jordan releases and also to look back in time to celebrate the history of Air Jordans. If there is a feature you would like to see Nice Kicks dive into, please feel free to contact us to make a suggestion.
