It only takes one time for a sneaker to become legendary. For the Ferrari-inspired Air Jordan 14, it was one series (the 1998 NBA Finals), one game (Game 6) and one shot (you know the…). In a season that was full of memorable sneaker moments, the Air Jordan 14 stands above all because it was the sneaker that Michael Jordan wore when he took what we thought at the time was his “Last Shot” ever in the NBA. A game-winning, series-clinching, championship-closing shot.
And thank God it was the Air Jordan 14 because I don’t know if I can sum up the gumption to write anything about the Air Jordan 15* that doesn’t involve the words “Dear God” or “yikes” or “15 SEs are the only ones that don’t suck”.
Anyways, this weekend will see the return of the Air Jordan 14 Oxidized Green. Let’s take a look back at some of our favorite colorways of the Air Jordan 14 by counting our (what else?) Top 14 Air Jordan 14 colorways of all-time.
Air Jordan 14 Low Ginger
While I’ll never understand the fascination with the oddly-shaped Air Jordan 14 Low, I do understand why this colorway is so beloved. People really love wearing boots without actually having to wear them. That’s the only way to explain our fascination with kicks like the Air Jordan 14 Low Ginger or the Air Jordan 16 Ginger or the Air Jordan 20 Chutney. We love the colors but if we’re of a certain geographical location (ie. west of the Mississippi) we aren’t wearing the boots that go along with that color. We’ll take these Js instead, thanks.
Air Jordan 14 Light Graphite
A perfect fall season kind of sneaker, this 2011 drop kind of just came and went as it was released right before the sneaker game was about to change with the return of the Air Jordan 11 Concord later that year. If you can find these at reasonable (meaning close to retail) price, you should seriously consider them as they are a versatile pair that go with plenty of the accessories and gear that you already own.
Air Jordan 14 Nubuck
You can never go wrong with University Blue on a pair of Air Jordans and this 14 colorway is just another piece of evidence that backs that statement. Whether you were a Tar Heel or Carmelo Anthony fan at the time, you probably had an outfit that went with this nubuck edition of the 14s. Is it better than the Air Jordan 12 Nubuck that uses a similar color scheme? Hell no, but it’s a good job, good effort on Jordan Brand’s part with these.
Air Jordan 14 Low Columbia
Once again, in spite of my objections to the overall look of the 14 Lows, when you put Carolina/Columbia blue together with any Jordan, the result is often always magic.
Air Jordan 14 CDP
Released as part of the multitude of Countdown Packages that was all the rage years ago, this might not have been one of the most sought after packs in the overall scheme of things but plenty of NBA players still wear them – including this particular pair – to this day.
Air Jordan 14 Indiglo
Another pair of 14s set to drop this year is the Air Jordan 14 Indiglo. Along with the Oxidized Green, these were the among the rare “OG” colorways of Air Jordans during the 90s that dropped in colors that you normally wouldn’t expect MJ to rock on the court. Maybe if the Bulls wore those garish St. Patrick’s Day uniforms… ah, you know what? Let’s not go there because of the visual of MJ in green is almost as bad as the visual of MJ in Wizards colors. Not that we’re judging or anything like that…
Air Jordan 14 Ferrari
On-point storytelling and high quality execution makes for a great pair of kicks. I just don’t think anybody should be caught dead wearing it. Unless you own a Ferrari because…
Air Jordan 14 Oxidized Green
Andre Drummond wore these OGs for a few games a few years back prior to becoming a full-fledged Jordan Brand athlete. How they managed to survive the pounding of NBA competition 15 years later is beyond us, as Tony Wroten can attest to. Now that the shoe is getting a long-awaited retro drop, will it still be among the most desired 14s or will its mass availability take away some of the love for it? We’ve seen many a classic sullied either by too many pairs out on the market or a lackluster effort on the quality side, but we’ve also seen the appreciation grow for certain pairs. Let’s see where this unique colors slides into in the coming weeks and months.
Air Jordan 14 Low Laney
They were Royals once and now they’re Laneys. I don’t know about these nicknames anymore, man…
Air Jordan 14 Black Toe
Cue Michael Jordan in “bullet time” GIF.
Air Jordan 14 Deep Forest
As a long standing opponent of anything and everything Air Jordan 13, I’m disappointed that Ray Allen didn’t turn these into legendary kicks when he began his run with the Boston Celtics. While I can understand why Allen would be attached to the Air Jordan 13 (it was prominently featured in the movie that he starred in with Denzel Washington that shall not be named because it also references the worst sneaker nickname ever), Allen could have at least worn these during his attempt to break Reggie Miller’s 3-point record. But alas, I’ll settle for these as a underrated gem that doesn’t get talked about as much…
Air Jordan 14 UNC
By the time 2000 rolled around, we were already deep into the depths of misery of the Air Jordan 15. But amidst the darkness comes Eastbay and shocks sneakerheads by releasing the UNC player exclusive colorway of the Air Jordan 14. This is a pair of 14s that needs to retro as soon as possible.
Air Jordan 14 Candy Cane
Back in the days, you were either in the “perforated” or “non-perforated” camp when it came to the Air Jordan 14s (for the record, I was #TeamPerforated). These were the perfect kicks to rock with a home Chicago Bulls jersey in late 90s. They also served as a great coping mechanism because by the time these dropped, Jordan was just a few days away from announcing his second retirement from NBA. At the very least, we knew Jordan Brand would do right by the Air Jordans and still make dope kicks even after Jordan retired. Then the 15 happened and it took a while for us to regain hope but that’s another story for another time…
Air Jordan 14 Last Shot
If you try hard enough, you too can erase the memory of Michael Jordan playing for the Washington Wizards like I have. The “Last Shot” was just so perfectly poetic and symbolic of Jordan’s brilliant career. How could he not end his career on that high note? What more did he have to prove to not only us, but himself? It turns out a whole hell of a lot because since that day, he’s proven he can still ball at the age of 40, he has become the first athlete to own an NBA franchise (and not in the cute “Magic Johnson owns a piece of the Lakers” kind of way either) and his legacy has shaped the path sneaker culture has taken for better or worse. So yeah, don’t listen to us, MJ. Do you, homey…
The post Top 14 Air Jordan 14 Colorways appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.