The Air Jordan 10 Goes Retro With Charlotte Hornets
"I'm back." With those words in 1995, Michael Jordan ended his brief retirement and stepped back on the court to dominate again. Fans worldwide were elated, and MJ quickly returned to top form donning the Air Jordan 10 in the Chicago colourway. The number 23 was gone, replaced by 45, but trainer heads knew the AJ 10 was a number worth owning.
The Story Behind the Air Jordan X Design
Although MJ never wore the previous iteration, the Air Jordan IX, on the court, they were designed while he was still suiting up as a Chicago Bull. Air Jordan designer Tinker Hatfield, who led the creations of the Jordan III through IX models, wanted the post-retirement X to signify a highlight reel of Jordan's most significant achievements from each of his seasons in the NBA. Like banners hanging from the rafters, the AJ 10's sole featured ten milestones representing Jordan the man and Air Jordan the shoe:
- 85 ROOKIE OF YEAR
- 86 63 POINTS
- 87 SCORING TITLE
- 88 DUNK CHAMP
- 89 ALL DEFENSE
- 90 SCORES 63 POINTS
- 91 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP
- 92 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP
- 93 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP
- 94 BEYOND
The Jordan brand launched a Retro redesign of the Charlotte Hornets colourway on the Air Jordan 10 silhouette in 2016. A smooth white tone coats the majority of this upper as well as the midsole. Teal Blue eyelets form strips across the tongue, creating a design for the Light Purple laces to sit on. Light Purple continues on the tongue and stamps the heel with a woven Jordan Jumpman logo. A second Jumpman logo is etched into the bottom tread in White. The rest of the bottom sole is Light Purple and striped with Teal Blue as a nod to Michael Jordan's 10 championship appearances. This Charlotte Hornets Retro release made its way to select stores across the country on June 18, 2016.
