The Air Jordan 10 Celebrates the Westbrook Class of 2006
"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 colorway. The number 23 was gone, replaced by 45, but sneakerheads 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
Jordan 10 Westbrook Class of 2006 2018
In tribute to Russell Westbrook's alma mater, Leuzinger High School, the Jordan brand released the Westbrook Class of 2006 colorway on the Air Jordan 10 silhouette in 2018. A white overlay covers the majority of this upper, and an additional white overlay sits on the side panels. University Red comes into play on the right sneaker underneath the white on the ankle, near the eyelets, and on the outer sole's 10 tread strips. The left sneaker features the same accents, though they are coated in Hyper Royal instead of University Red. Black makes its way onto the laces, tongue, inner sock liner, and outer sole. This Class of 2006 colorway reappeared on shelves across the country on June 30, 2018.
