Up to this point, every shoe that I’ve covered has been legendary due to its cultural significance. The Jordan 1 will always be remembered as the beginning of the Jordan line . The Jordan 3 will forever be seen as one of, if not the greatest sneaker ever made. And yet neither of these shoes were remembered necessarily for court success, aside from Jordan’s personal accolades in the Jordan 3. In fact, Michael Jordan had never made it to the finals, a glaring mark on his already immaculate NBA resume. People began questioning if he ever would, considering the idea of another NBA legend that never won a champion. The narrative changed with the Jordan 6.
The Air Jordan 6, like the Jordan 3, was designed by Tinker Hatfield. He took inspiration from a pair of Nike Air Trainer 2s worn at one of Michael Jordan’s summer basketball camps. Releasing in 1991, the Jordan 6 brought with it a number of improvements and firsts in the sneaker industry. Michael Jordan specifically requested a clean, strong toe for the shoe. Hatfield acquiesced, adding a reinforcement to the toebox, making the Jordan 6 the first basketball shoe to have the feature. It also had additional eyelets near the tongue for easier lacing, and switched to a clear rubber sole for better traction. The Jordan 6 also marked the last time that a Jordan shoe would prominently feature the signature Nike branding. Another detail to note is that the design of the inlay for the shoe actually writes out the numbers “23,” an ode to Jordan’s playing number. 
The Jordan 6 is most comparable to the three in terms of memorable NBA seasons. Jordan would wear the six en route to another scoring title, his second league MVP, All-NBA first team, All-Defensive first team, and another steals title. With the shoe’s legacy already cemented, the NBA playoffs gave Michael Jordan, and the Jordan 6, the opportunity to become legendary. Jordan and the Chicago Bulls steamrolled through the playoffs, sweeping two out of their three opponents en route to Jordan’s first NBA Finals. He averaged absolutely unreal numbers, especially in the finals, where the Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Jordan had his first championship and first Finals MVP, all with the Jordan 6 on his feet.
The Jordan 6 has always been one of my personal favorite silhouettes. Its sleek look and unique color blocking stand out as one of the best looking Jordans of all time. Next time you see me, I just might be wearing my Carmine 6s, the same shoe Jordan wore in his first NBA Finals.