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“No short stoppin’, takin’ no shorts.”
Welcome to March Madness and today’s Nice Kicks’ Throwback Thursday. Today’s post pays tribute to a sneaker which is uniquely known for its presence at both NCAA and NBA levels, a sneaker worn and popularized by both the University of Michigan’s “Fab 5” as well as Sir Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns during his MVP season – the 1993 Nike Air Force Max.
Named by Complex as the greatest basketball sneaker of 1993 and by Sole Collector as one of the greatest sneakers worn by Michigan’s Fab 5, the Force Max epitomized and utilized the very best of Nike Air Max sneaker technology during the absolute height and prime of the 90s Nike basketball era, commonly regarded as the golden years of Nike basketball and athletic footwear.
According to Wilson Smith, Nike footwear designer, the 90s were a “bigger than life time.” This assertion also held true regarding basketball players who on-court and on-screen images also portrayed a larger-than-life, heroic, role model-type status.
As it pertains to college basketball, of principal note is the University of Michigan’s Fab 5, a team which consisted of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, and Jimmy King.
Known for their athleticism, flashy style of play, on-court swagger, and a forward-thinking, urban, casual fashion sense, this quintet of young men completely revolutionized basketball and the sport of fashion vis-a-vis longer, baggier shorts (a mere one inch above the knee!), black Nike socks, a style later adopted by Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and of course, all-black Nike basketball sneakers, which caused a great deal of criticism and controversy from hard-core basketball traditionalists and conservatives.
While the Fab 5’s 90s sneaker history is both long and distinguished and includes models such as the Air Dynamic Flight, Air Flight Huarache, Air Unlimited, Air Max Strong, and Air Maestro, the sneaker that most accurately resembles, personifies, and signifies the spirit, history, legacy, and aggressiveness of that iconic team, unequivocally, is the Air Force Max, complete with its rugged, rough, aggressive design, midfoot stability strap, and metal mesh-backed strap support system along the medial aspect of the shoe which gave the sneaker a psychiatric hospital ward look and appearance.
Like the Fab 5’s fashion sense and mass appeal, the Force Max, was also ahead of its time. Employing a large, thick, visible 270-degree Air Max heel and encapsulated forefoot air sole units, the Force Max illustrated the aggressive, tough, and durable Nike Force basketball line at its best. From a design and technology standpoint, the Air Force Max served as the bridge between the Nike Air Force 180 Low and the Air Force Max CB.
From a cultural perspective, the Force Max gathered a great deal of national exposure and popularity as it was worn throughout the 1993 NCAA Tournament by many college players, most notably Michigan’s Fab 5. While the Force Max remains largely synonymous with Sir Charles and his MVP season with the Suns, the focus of today’s post lies largely on the Force Max’s impact and strong court presence within the NCAA tournament.
In addition to Michigan, Grant Hill and Duke University’s basketball team also wore the Air Force Max in a predominantly white/black/blue colorway. The Force Max, however, will forever live in infamy as it was the sneaker worn by Webber when he mistakenly called a last-second timeout late in the 1993 NCAA Championship Game against UNC which resulted in a technical foul and a UNC Championship. This iconic yet infamous sneaker moment propelled the Force Max into iconic status as one of the most memorable and popular basketball sneakers of the 1990s era, if not all-time.
The Air Force Max has received the retro treatment but with a markedly thinner visible heel Air Max unit compared to its original form. A new, remastered retro with an OG correct black and white Air Max box would undoubtedly be well received by both consumers and basketball enthusiasts alike.
Perhaps pairing the shoes in a package along with a pair of Just Don or Jordan Brand Michigan shorts would make for a proper, appropriate, and respectful tribute. Simply put, the classic 1990s era and its unprecedented, stylish, and trendsetting appeal never gets old.
So, go ahead and throw it down your opponents’ throat like Barkley and Webber, and lace up your pair of Nike Air Force Max.
Black shoes, black socks, and baggy Michigan shorts are included. Timeouts and technical fouls, however, are not.
