The Air Jordan XII and Michael Jordan's Championships

The year 1997 marked the beginning of a two-year NBA Finals matchup between the Utah Jazz (with Karl Malone and John Stockton) and the Chicago Bulls (Michael Jordan). Having previously won a fourth championship (with classic sneakers in tow) in 1996, Jordan didn't let up doing the same thing against the Jazz in 1997, and again in 1998. The Nike Air Jordan XII was another sign of the times.

With its inspiration grounded in the antique Japanese 19th/20th-century national flag, streams of seams from the rear of the shoe simulate the same look of the sun's rays radiating on the sneaker.

Also expounding on an Eastern influence, the Air Jordan XII has a long, protective leather rand on the outside and inside of the shoe, which recalls a modern take on a samurai boot, perhaps; protecting the foot from contact and other abrasions from court play. The somewhat high cut of what is actually a mid-cut shoe also adds to the protective nature of the XII, giving the shoe a feeling of supreme ankle protection with a full-grain leather upper.

The XII brings a feeling of longevity as well. The outsole is solid rubber and about a good half-inch thick, which enables it to survive potentially much longer than most other basketball shoes. The downside with the original incarnation is that the shoe was clunky when made in 1996, though with the re-releases in 2003, somehow the XII became a much lighter shoe, when the outsole seemingly feather-light in comparison to its predecessor.

For comfort and impact protection from the dynamic nature of the game of basketball, the XII secures houses a Phylon midsole amidst all the leather that is used on the shoe. This Jordan is also the first Jordan to use Zoom Air, and it is used with proficiency in a full-length capacity, along with a soft fabric internal lining.