Rare Air – Air Jordan I Post-Injury Game Worn Player Exclusives from 1986

Ok, by now, we’ve probably all seen pics of sneakers worn by the the Man himself, however, I guarantee you haven’t seen this pair. If you remember or know the history, Michael Jordan suffered a broken foot during the 1985-86 NBA season, causing him to miss all but 18 games. Somehow, with Jordan’s will and determination, the Bulls were still able to make it to the first round of the playoffs, where Jordan scored 63 points in game 2.

Having only played 14 regular season games since returning, Jordan’s foot was still healing, and both Nike and the Bulls were cautious about letting their star return. To provide extra protection, special modifications were made to his Air Jordan 1s. That’s where this pair comes in. For game 3, MJ’s sneakers were fitted with special ankle straps, which ran through slots cut into the upper. Also, custom orthopedic inserts were added as well. As you can see in the pics below, one shoe is size 13, and the other is size 13.5. After MJ’s foot healed, it was slightly larger, hence the bigger left shoe.

This is an incredible piece of history, and may be the only pair left in existence.