Image via Complex Original
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One of the most prestigious schools on and off the court, Georgetown's star power on the hardwood is tough to match. Although the basketball team has been around since 1907, sometimes it feels like the Hoyas were born right around the time Nike starting taking things over with its timeless kicks. It all started with one of the greatest collegiate coach and player pairings in John Thompson and Patrick Ewing, went on to a pair of 7-footers to bring in the 90's, and then one of the quickest guards to ever play the game. For the past 30 years the squad has been bringing the ruckus, cutting down nets in some of the trillest special edition Nikes and Jordans along the way — they were one of the schools to break in the brand-new Air Jordan 2012s last night. Click on the gallery to check out The 20 Greatest Sneakers in Georgetown Basketball History.
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20. Air Jordan Team 12.5 "White/Flint Grey-Blue"
When: 2008
Who: Roy Hibbert
Sometimes when Jordan Brand drops a team concept shoe there are mixed feelings. The 12.5 were no different — somewhat awkwardly combining the XIIs and XIIIs — but the "Flint" colorway gave people something to hold them over until another "Flint" XIII drop, which finally happened in 2010. At least these came with the actual 3M mesh.
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19. Nike Air Up High
When: 1995
Who: Allen Iverson
The hightop version of the sneaker that Penny and Pippen made major in '95. The Nike Flight shoe has yet to see any retro love in either the mid or high version, but anyone who hooped in the 90's remember these joints and are praying for the Nike Gods to hook us up with a fresh run. AI broke them out during his freshman campaign — highs for the pre-McDavid ankle brace era.
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18. Jordan Laney 23 PE "Georgetown"
When: 2007
Who: Jeff Green
In middle of the 2000s, Jordan Brand decided to start lacing some of their elite squads with special edition team concepts for various Jordan designs. If you don't get the Laney 23 reference for the sneakers name we aren't sure how you stumbled this far. In '07 Green was spotted in the Georgetown colorway en route to his Big East Player of the Year honors and leading the Hoyas to their last Final Four run.
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17. Jordan Fly 23
When: 2012
Who: Henry Sims
The Jordan Fly 23s are the little brother to D. Wade's first JB signature line. An almost identical sneaker at its core, the materials and textures are completely different featuring a more sturdier — and heavier — buildout.
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16. Air Jordan XV SE "Bragging Rights - Georgetown"
When: 2008
Who: Roy Hibbert
Cooked up for UNC and Georgetown, the XV SE "Bragging Rights" are one of the better college themed kicks put out by JB. The Georgetown version was rocked by most of the 2008 squad including current Pacer big man Roy Hibbert. The design stays true to the XV SEs original makeup and features the Hoyas kente pattern along the midsole.
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15. Air Jordan 16.5 "White/Grey"
When: 2009
Who: Julian Vaughn
Another Jordan hybrid — taking parts of the XVI and XVII with the XVII genes dominating this model, especially in the heel and by the lace holes. The white and grey joints were a perfect mix with Hoya threads on the court. A player edition was made up specially for Georgetown and featured a much more simple white leather upper and black patent leather around the kicks.
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14. Air Jordan XIV "White/Black-Varsity Red-Metallic Silver"
When: 1999
Who: Kevin Braswell
In college hoops ballin' in Js wasn't that standard until the late '90s. Kevin Braswell's name might not be the most memorable from the Hoya archives but in '99 he took to the hardwood in one of Jordan's fastest designs in his line thanks to Tinker's take on the Ferrari M550.
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13. Nike Air Wayup
When: 1995
Who: Allen Iverson
The more he got comfortable in his role at G-Town, the lower the sneakers got for AI. After messing with a few hightops, he ended his freshman year in the Air Wayups. Another shoe that blessed the feet of Pippen, Rodman, and KG — the Air Wayup was the first take on the "wing" design that most remember from the Air Penny Is.
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12. Nike Air Force V
When: 1990
Who: Dikembe Mutombo
As if having to fuck with Alonzo Mourning wasn't enough, the Hoyas had to bring in Dikembe Mutombo, another seven-footer who didn't appreciate people tossing up anything in his lane. The Air Force Vs got a lot of love on the college courts as well as in the NBA. The high-cut hoop shoes catered perfectly to college uniforms with a variety of colorways, this was before each model dropped 100. And to think he originally attended Georgetown to be a doctor - think this is the first time someone's parents were glad they gave up on that dream.
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11. Air Jordan XI "Cool Grey"
When: 2010
Who: Chris Wright
Soon after the "Cool Greys" dropped, college athletes couldn't wait to break them out the box and take court in one of the smoothest Jordan models and colorways. Last season the day the kicks dropped Chris Wright rocked them against Memphis dropping 19 points in a 17-point W. We're guessing dude wasn't waiting in line at Foot Locker before the game for a pair.
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10. Nike Air Force STS
When: 1989
Who: Alonzo Mourning
In the late '80s, it was rare to see a premier college team that didn't have at least one pair of Air Force STS's on the floor. One of the best constructed basketball shoes, these things were built for players like 'Zo — quick enough to wreak havoc on the baseline and perfect for throwing down under the boards. Glad to see things didn't change too much once he got in the league. The elephant print was crucial — a retro is a must.
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9. Nike Air Unlimited
When: 1994
Who: Allen Iverson
AI doesn't look a day over 13 here, but don't sleep — he came into The Big East sniping lazy passes and turning them into two points. Not a typical point guard shoe, the Air Unlimiteds were usually seen on the feet of big men like David Robinson and Chris Webber or out on the wing like Grant Hill. The shoe had an authentic streetball look, perfect for Iverson's new jack style.
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8. Air Jordan 2011 PE "Georgetown"
When: 2011
Who: Chris Wright
The greatest Jordan release since the greatest player retired? No doubt. Jordan Brand came correct, dropping a PE for the Hoyas just in time for the NCAA Tournament.
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7. Air Jordan 2010 Team PE "Georgetown"
When: 2010
Who: Jason Clark
"G-Town" scripted down the side, and the clean and simple white perforated body make these sneakers look clean. Jordan Brand hit up one of its longest-running squads with a navy and grey accented pair to hoop in for 2010, unlike a few of the other team edition kicks these never made it out the public — unless someone is already down on their luck via eBay.
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6. Nike Air Flightposite III
When: 2001
Who: Drew Hall
Part of the Nike's Alpha Project, the Flightposite took the "bug eye" look of the Zoom 95s to another level. The "lenticular holograms" are what set the design apart from anything on the shelves (or the court) at the time along with the two TPU straps. Nike must have been trading tips with Trojan trying to thin out the rubber Foamposite material so you could feel the floor that much better.
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5. Nike Dynasty
When: 1985
Who: Patrick Ewing
Most people remember the Terminators (we'll get to those), but the Nike Dynasty was the signature shoe of Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas throughout most of his college career. The sneaker dropped in 1981 and was one of the first major basketball releases by Nike. The shoe inspired classics like the AF1, Sky Force, and Dunks in the early to mid ’80s and helped lead Ewing to one of the most successful campaigns in college basketball history.
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4. Jordan CP3.V "Coaches vs. Cancer"
When: 2012
Who: Markel Starks
In all seriousness, we must commend athletes for their role in bringing awareness to cancer. This year a few select teams got set up with a pair of their favorite Jordan kicks accented in pink for the cause. Markel Starks took the floor in Chris Paul's latest and greatest JB model — unfortunately the Hoyas took a L. This isn't even the minors Hov, we give them the moral victory.
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3. Nike Air Zoom Flight '95
When: 1995
Who: Victor Page
In '95 we saw Nike incorporate the Zoom Air unit into its basketball shoes for a low and responsive feel for many of the guard-targeted kicks. The unofficial shoe of Jason Kidd often received the same reaction to the design — "what's up with the bug-eyed sneakers?" The space-age Jetsons feel appealed to the guards and and the carbonesque flyers often found their way onto the feet of ballers at all levels, including Victor Page as well as Donovan McNabb who rocked them as a walk-on at Syracuse University.
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2. Air Jordan XI "Concords"
When: 1996
Who: Allen Iverson
Before he signed the lifetime agreement with Reebok, Allen Iverson in the "Concord" XIs, McDavid ankle braces, and the kente pattern on the shorts were just about as iconic as the XIs on Mike's feet. It was only appropriate that the most electrifying scorer in college hoops rocked the same kicks as the greatest to ever do it. Iverson sported the Jordan XIs on a regular basis during his sophomore campaign, which led to him being the number one pick in the ’96 NBA Draft. AI never won a conference MVP but he was a back-to-back Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Gotta be the shoes.
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1. Nike Terminator
When: 1985
Who: Patrick Ewing
During Patrick Ewing's senior season (that's right, some players actually went to class and stuck around) Nike released a special-edition sneaker for some of it's elite schools rocking The Swoosh. Every other school got Dunks, but the Hoyas wanted something different — enter the Terminator. Being down with Ewing and the squad had some advantages, three appearances in the title game and the grail of basketball kicks featuring "Hoyas" on the back heel. No truer meaning to the phrase "engineered to the exact specifications of championship athletes." A once-in-a-lifetime game from Ed Pinckney and Villanova was all that kept Ewing from leaving on top.
