Air Jordan X

Air Jordan X

Designer: Tinker Hatfield

Released: 1994

When Michael Jordan returned to the NBA on March 19, 1995, against the Indiana Pacers, he wore the "Chicago" colorway of the Air Jordan X. The AJ X's design was very simplistic. It featured clean lines, lightweight cushioning, and an outsole that commemorated his career to that point. The original "steel" version was designed with a stitched toe piece, which MJ didn't like. So all subsequent colorways of the AJ X had a clean toe cap. The AJ X featured a padded collar, pull tab at the heel, and an elastic band lacing system. Nike built the midsole of the AJ X of Phylon lightweight foam. It was connected to a rubber outsole that listed Jordan's career achievements on alternating stripes. The other original colorways were part of the city series that featured five color schemes of NBA teams: Chicago, Orlando, New York, Sacramento, and Seattle. These have become some of the most sought-after Air Jordans. The "Chicago," for example, has sold for thousands of dollars online. Nine days after Jordan told the world "I'm back," he walked into Madison Square Garden and singed the Knicks for 55 points. MJ guided his Bulls back to the playoffs, but the Orlando Magic - led by Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal - dismissed them in six games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.