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Hoop Heaven.
In honor of the start of the NBA playoffs, today’s episode of Nice Kicks’ Throwback Thursday pays tribute to the 1997 NBA Playoffs, one of the most memorable postseasons in NBA history.
The ’97 postseason had it all: drama, suspense, and heroic performances, at the highest level of competition and on the grandest of stages. The ‘97 postseason saw multiple game-winning, series-clinching shots and epic performances from both NBA icons and role players: Jordan’s epic buzzer-beater in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Jazz; two 40-point performances by Penny Hardaway of the Orlando Magic against the higher-seeded Miami Heat which tied their playoff series; and a game-winning, buzzer-beating, miracle 3-point shot by Houston Rockets’ veteran journeyman, Eddie Johnson, in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, a series that featured not one but two game-winning shots.
What is perhaps most memorable of the ‘97 playoffs was the multitude of sneakers worn by many NBA Hall of Famers and sports legends, during the height and prime of the classic 90s NBA and sneaker era. Sneaker enthusiasts and vintage NBA fans will be quick to note iconic models such as the Air Jordan 12, Air Pippen, Air Foamposite One, Air Turbulence Flight, Jumpman Pro, Air Hawk Flight, Air Bakin’, Air Flight Max, Air Max Uptempo III, among others, worn by the likes of Jordan, Pippen, Penny Hardaway, Tim Hardaway, Kevin Garnett, and Gary Payton; however, there is a sneaker that has, until now, been largely forgotten amongst the shuffle: the Nike Air Zoom Challenge.
In order to set the stage, let’s first go back to November 1995. During a Sonics’ home game against the Chicago Bulls at Key Arena, Gary Payton bucked the trend and wore the Nike Air Alarm Agassi tennis sneaker which featured the Sonics’ colors black, green, and white. A year and a half later, during the 1997 regular season and playoffs, John Stockton, legendary point guard of the Utah Jazz, followed suit and wore another Agassi tennis silhouette – the Nike Air Zoom Challenge.
The Air Zoom Challenge was designed by Wilson Smith and incorporated a DRC Court (Durable Rubber Compound) non-marking outsole, carbon fiber plate, signature Agassi “A” on the heel counter, and most notably, a loud, psychedelic circular graphic outsole pattern inspired by the surrealist artist, Salvador Dali.
The Air Zoom Challenge was worn throughout some of the most iconic and memorable moments in both the 1997 Playoffs and Utah Jazz history as well. Old school Jazz fans will fondly remember Stockton’s game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-point shot over Barkley which eliminated the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, propelling the Jazz to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance against Jordan and the Bulls, illustrating its true versatility as a versatile court model.
While Stockton wore many Nike models throughout his legendary career, the Air Zoom Challenge is regarded as one of the most memorable Stockton models as it was attached to some of the greatest moments in his Hall of Fame career.
Get Jazzed up, rock the short shorts and Air Zoom Challenge, and play dirty like Stockton.
