20 Signature Sneakers That Need to Be Retroed

Player: Eddie Jones
Original Release: 1998

If Vin Baker's sneaker could be retroed, anything is possible. Fact is, Jordan already retroed Jones' first shoe (the Pro Quick), so the XIV-inspired Quick 6 seems like it should be next in the pipeline. And if it isn't, well, it's not too late to crash it into the '14 schedule, is it?

Player: Stephon Marbury
Original Release: 1996

Back when Stephon Marbury was killing people with crossovers and still largely considered "Coney Island's Finest" basketball player, And1 took a chance on the rookie phenom. The And1 Marbury featured the faceless trash talking character on the ankle and a unique "S" logo for Stephon on the heel. Marbury may have fell off the wagon at some point (Sorry Steph, that Vaseline thing still scares us), his first shoe is still one of And1's best.

Player: Isaiah "J.R." Rider
Original Release: 1994

Coming from Oakland is a challenge for anyone but basketball players seem to struggle with keeping themselves out of trouble with the law. Isaiah "J.R." Rider was no exception to that. His career began with high flying dunks, a Slam Dunk Contest title and a signature sneaker from Converse, the Converse Sky Rider. Unfortunately for Rider and his fans, he quickly fell off the map and into trouble. That doesn't mean we can't reminisce about the between-the-legs dunks and his sneakers, though.

Player: Sal Barbier
Original Release: 1998

While most skate shoes of the mid-to-late '90s were oversized and overstuffed, one shoe stood out. The SLB '98 fell on the thin side for the era but that didn't mean it wasn't performance packed. It featured rubber reinforcement around the toe area that was built to last. Maybe that's why Sal Barbier is still shredding all these years later.

Player: Jerry Rice
Original Release: 1997

The Nike Air Ubiquitous Max was what we remember about late-'90s trainers. The sneaker had a full-length Air Max unit, leather upper, and just enough pop of color. It was also Jerry Rice's signature sneaker, who was a once in a lifetime talent. Please, Nike, don't make these a once in a lifetime sneaker, too.

Player: Sal Barbier
Original Release: 1995

It's probably complete blasphemy to say that the eS SLB did the Air Jordan IX better than the Air Jordan IX did, but we're saying it. The midcut skate shoe made Sal's Jordan fandom even more readily apparent than the "23" embroidered on the heels of his otherwise nondescript Sal 23 predecessor. Best of all, the inner bootie not only kept to the Air Jordan IX design, but made for an ultra-comfortable skate shoe. With eS itself apparently being revived, there's no better time to bring 'em out.

Player: Michael Johnson
Original Release: 1998

No other runner captured the heart's of Americans (or the world) the way Michael Johnson did. For the sneakerheads, his Nike Zoom JST is still one of the toughest sneakers to come by. And if you think your collection is complete without this shoe? Go back to school.

Player: Tracy McGrady
Original Release: 2006

The adidas T-Mac VI represented a much-needed breath of fresh air to the T-Mac line, following the clunky IV and the strapped-up V. Tracy McGrady's sixth signature shoe was pure business, from the mid-cut height to the adidas FORmotion independent suspension. The UNDRCRWN makeup, which utilized the African-inspired print from the classic Mutombo, was epic.

Player: Larry Johnson
Original Release: 1994

In the early '90s, straps were everything. Converse took part in the global trend by making one of Grandmamas forgotten signature models par to course. Most were subtle in terms of color, matching the upper. But they went outside the box with the Charlotte Hornets inspired zebra print for one unforgettable colorway that is still on the bucket list for many sneakerheads.

Player: Dennis Rodman
Original Release: 1997

"91" didn't refer to the year the All Star 91 was released, but rather the implausible number Dennis Rodman wore as a member of the Chicago Bulls. Most remember him best in the Nike Shake NDestrukt (and the Worm), which he wore during the Bulls' 72-10 1996 season, but for the next two championship runs, the Worm was a Converse endorser with signature product. The All Star 91 took inspiration from Rodman's tattoo design, but still made use of the traditional All Star patch. Cross-generational appeal.

Player: Chris Webber
Original Release: 1997

Chris Webber's FILA line lasted only one sneaker but with Fila dropping so many silhouettes recently, this needs to be on their list. The FILA Webber came at a time when Chris Webber was still one of the most exciting players in the NBA. The injuries that kept him hesitant towards the end of his career were never an issue back in 1997 and giving the FILA Webber a bringback version only makes sense. Call it the Sensation.

Player: Shaquille O'Neal
Original Release:

Not everyone loved the Shaq Attaq IV, but the Instapump hightop-the last to bear the Shaq Attaq name-was a true big man shoe for one of the last true big men, and should be respected as such. Sure it was high, sure it was bulky, but the Instapump allowed it to be less bulky than some of its predecessors. Reebok would be wise to remember that Shaq's career should not be defined by just two sneakers.

Player: Grant Hill
Original Release: 1997

Derivative but not an outright bite, the FILA Grant Hill III flipped the all-midsole-everything look of the Nike Air Flight One in a sleeker fashion, providing Grant Hill with his smoothest on-court look to date. It doesn't have the Olympic pedigree or implicit Tupac endorsement of the recently retroed Grant Hill II, but taken purely on its own merits, the III should be considered a classic-and treated as such.

Player: Allen Iverson
Original Release: 2001

With the resurrection of Reebok in the last few years, this should be a no-brainer. Allen Iverson's Reebok Answer V was one of the most popular of his signature models. Coming off his best season ever, which included a trip to the NBA Finals, the Answer V shared a similar design to its predecessor and has yet to have made a return. With the Answer IV being reintroduced in 2013, the V following in 2014 would be a good move for Reebok.

Player: Jerome Bettis
Original Release: 1998

Football trainers were not the sole (pun intended) property of Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders and Emmitt Smith. Steelers stalwart Jerome Bettis received the bulky (and tongue-twistingly named) Total Air Bus Max back in 1998, complete with an equally bulky ad. Given all the Air Max love in the retro market, isn't there room for a Bus?

Player: Ken Griffey, Jr.
Original Release: 1998

The Kid put baseball trainers on the map. Whether he was running up walls and stealing home runs or belting them from the plate, Ken Griffey Jr. made baseball sneakers cool. The Griffey line may be most heralded for the original but the 1998 version with the cross-foot strap is the one we want to see return. It followed one of Griffey's best seasons, which included an MVP award, and was one of the most unique designs to ever hit the diamond.

Player: Tim Hardaway
Original Release: 1998

Tim Hardaway was a sneaker guy from his first days in Golden State (and probably when he was still doing the UTEP two-step), but he didn't get a signature shoe until later in his career when he was a member of the Miami Heat. The T-Bug was essentially a takedown of Gary Payton's Zoom Flight 98, with a very similar chassis where only the laces (not the entire shoe) were covered. Golden State and UTEP colors would be no-brainers.

Player: Kevin Garnett
Original Release: 1995

There was no doubt from the beginning, Kevin Garnett was going to be an NBA All-Star. His tall frame, ability to dribble as if he were a guard and a wing-span that seems like it's about 3 miles, made him one of the most watched prospects of the '90s. Nike took note and set him up with his own sneaker line and though the III was most memorable and has been retroed, the rest remain relatively forgotten. We're ready for the Garnett I to make a comeback. What's good, Nike?

Player: Grant Hill
Original Release: 1997

Grant Hill's FILA line, despite its current popularity, is still tremendously underappreciated. If you take into consideration that before Hill, FILA never even played in the basketball space, it's rather tremendous what Hill's signature line did for the brand (and is doing again today). The Grant Hill IV released in 1997 and had a similar look and feel to others in the line but didn't quite have the lasting power of the earlier models. This could either be because Grant started dealing with nagging injuries around the time, or it could be because people are still sleeping on these.