Like most Michael Jordan lore, the ending has been told so many times it feels like fiction unless you’re watching the highlight. The ’97-98 Chicago Bulls are one win away in the NBA Finals from securing a second threepeat. Down by one against the Utah Jazz with under half a minute on the clock, who has the ball? Who else: Jordan. He staves off a defensive maneuver. He leaps. His feet leave the ground with 7.2 on the clock. Does the shot go in? Of course it does. Of course the shot goes in. Five seconds left, but it’s over—John Stockton misses an attempt. The Bulls win. The Bulls always win.
That was the last shot Michael Jordan ever took in a Chicago Bulls uniform. It was also the last time the Chicago Bulls won the Finals. Coincidence? No, absolutely not. As always, he marked another career milestone in a career made entirely of milestones in an iconic sneaker, the Air Jordan 14. The colorway was later dubbed ‘The Last Shot,’ because what else are you going to call it? That’s it. End of story. Fin. Exit stage right for the GOAT and the Bulls dynasty.
.png)
Of course, Jordan’s NBA career would continue, several years later, with the Wizards. And Air Jordans continue to hit the hardwood long after MJs’s second retirement—a new silhouette drops every year, and 2025 will mark the launch of the Air Jordan 40.
Still, the Air Jordan 14 marks the end of an era of greatness. It might not be the ending, but it is an ending, and one worth commemorating. While the original colorways are still the best to ever grace the silhouette, 2014’s ‘Ferrari’ colorway is among the most popular to come after them. The silhouette itself and the original colorways drew inspiration from Jordan’s love of high-speed sports cars, specifically—you guessed it—Ferraris (he was particularly fond of his 550 Maranello). This colorway hones in on the inspiration even harder than the originals, famously featuring a Jumpman logo on the ankle that mimics the iconic yellow Ferrari shield. This week, the Jordan 14 ‘Ferarri’ returns for the first time since its original drop, decked out in beautiful bright red suede with bursts of yellow detailing across the silhouette. It’s like lacing up a brand-new Testarossa.
You can buy the Air Jordan 14 ‘Ferrari’ on June 14 via SNKRS and select retailers nationwide, including Foot Locker, SNIPES, and Shoe Palace among others.
Read the full article here
