words & image // Zack Schlemmer
The Air Jordan X in this White/Varsity Red-Black colorway, also known as the "Chicago", came out in 1995 and has never been retroed...until this Saturday on January 21st. This is the first shoe worn by Michael Jordan upon his return to the NBA after his first retirement (or league suspension for gambling, if you're a conspiracy theorist) and throughout his time wearing uniform #45. Of all Air Jordans released during his playing time, the Air Jordan X is the least worn, with Michael only wearing these and the "Shadow" colorway before debuting the Air Jordan XI in the 1995 Playoffs. (The Air Jordan IX was, of course, never worn by Michael in an NBA game due to his retirement.) Here on this card we see Michael skying to the basket, presumably during his legendary 55 point game against the Knicks shortly after his comeback.
Over a decade in waiting, this shoe is sure to cause a stir on its release this Saturday, although it's possible that Jordan Brand's new price increase to $160 for retro releases may leave a few pairs on the shelves. It's the very early stages of the $10 increase so we'll see if it has any effect on the sales of some of the less coveted retros. Only time will tell, but will you be grabbing a pair this Saturday?
