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1. Michael Jordan
photo via HD WallpapersSimply the best. While LeBron James and Kobe Bryant may contend with the G.O.A.T. in barbershop banter or made for TV debate, at the end of the day we all know Michael Jordan was the greatest to ever lace them up. Could said stars surpass his Airness one day? Anything’s possible, but we’re still putting our money on Money.
To go through Michael Jordan’s career accolades or signature series in detail would be long-winded and never quite all encompassing. We all know about the six NBA Championships, we all know about the Air Jordan 1 getting banned, we’ve all seen the Air Jordan 3 take off from the free-throw line and we all recognize the Air Jordan 11 as the most popular basketball shoe ever created. We know, we know, we know.
And still, while we all know every highlight by heart and every shoe down to the last detail, we still can’t get enough. Even over a decade past his final retirement, one could argue that the Air Jordan signature series is in the prime of its popularity. Off the court, grown men still get goosebumps when putting on a pair of Mikes while toddlers who can’t yet tie their shoes are pushed around in strollers wearing the work of Tinker Hatfield.
Though labeled a lifestyle brand by many in 2014, there’s no downplaying the popularity of Air Jordans on court. This trend even proves true on the NBA hardwood. Millionaire athletes who are playing for their paycheck would rather rock retros than put their money on the latest performance pair. Kobe, LeBron and KD may be catching up by some measures, but at the end of the day everybody still wants to be like Mike.
-Ian Stonebrook
This concludes our countdown of The Most Important Sneaker Stars in NBA History. Click here to see players 25-21, here for player 20-16, here for players 15-11, and click here for players 10-6. Love the rankings? Hate the rankings? Let us know by sounding off on social media with the #KOC25.
