Sneakers have changed. We've talked about it time and time again. But one thing that hasn't changed is how special the Air Jordan XI is. As the story goes, Michael Jordan wanted Nike, or more specifically, Tinker Hatfield, to make him a sneaker that he could wear on the court and still lace up with a suit on the way to and from games. Before 1995, patent leather had been reserved primarily for dress shoes, but the Air Jordan XI would change all of that.

With that shiny patent leather wrapping the latest Air Jordan model, the world took notice, even more so than ever before. What was different from back then about the bright and head-turning colors of today is what MJ accomplished in the Air Jordan XI. A determined MJ led the Chicago Bulls to the best record in NBA history at 72-10. And along the way he led the league in scoring, and won the All Star Game, regular-season AND Finals MVP. So when you think about what makes the Air Jordan XI so special, remember two things:

Tinker made them shine. Mike made them fly. And in case you're still not getting it, here's 25 Iconic Photos Of Michael Jordan in the Air Jordan XI to jog your memory.

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