With the release of the Air Jordan 12 The Master coming this weekend, the hype for the drop has also brought along with it a newfound appreciation for classic Air Jordan posters. Ok, there’s a lie in that sentence. Sure, there is an excitement for The Master colorway, but my guess is that excitement would be a lot more palpable if the price wasn’t damn near $200. But what it has done has made people aware of an Air Jordan poster that up to this point that has really been lost to time – “The Master”.
It’s… a poster of Michael Jordan. Great, right? He’s wearing the Air Jordan 12, but it’s not The Master colorway. It could be the Cherry Red or the Taxi but it’s hard to tell because the picture went through a Sepia filter. He’s dribbling the ball and getting ready to break you down with his killer scowl. He’s not dunking over you, he’s not flying over your head and he’s certainly not smiling while he’s doing it. Nope, this is a different MJ. Older. Wiser. More cerebral. Sure, it’s a better representative of Michael Jordan during that time, but let’s be honest, it’s also kinda boring and probably wouldn’t make anybody’s top 10 list of the best Air Jordan posters.
But we’re thankful either way because here is our my list of favorite Air Jordan posters. Don’t forget to check out our Air Jordan 12 The Master launch page for more images, videos and much more.
Windmill (Wheaties)
As one of four collectible Nike posters found in Wheaties cereals back in the late 1980s, this is a picture taken from the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk that Jordan famously robbed won against Dominique Wilkins. Yeah, everybody remembers the free-throw line dunk, but this was an equally classic image that shows MJ at the peak of his athletic powers. Also, White Cement 3s.
Air Superiority
Another lesser known poster, I would have put that famous billboard of himself that Jordan walks by in Barcelona on this list were it an actual poster. Anyways, this simple picture depicts MJ getting ready to lay some serious hurting on the rest of the word since he is quite simply superior to the competition. Note: This is what happens when Reebok has the Team USA license. Nike should always have the Team USA license.
Playground
Wait, let me find my Laserdisc copy of Michael Jordan’s Playground while I stare at this pic. Between the style of graffiti (there has to be an inside joke there somewhere), the clothes and the kicks, this was the quintessential early 90s photo. You could have taken MJ out of the equation and I feel like this shot would have made it onto a museum somewhere.
Hare Jordan
The best in the world teams up with the best in the cartoon world. MJ, Bugs and everything that came from that partnership was so perfect that I shudder to think what an MJ-Disney team-up would have looked like back in that era before Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. It would have been the most milquetoast pairing with zero edge. As somebody who preferred the slapstick comedy of a coyote getting an anvil dropped on his head back in those days, it was genius.
Wings
If I could get any poster signed by MJ and hung up on my walls, it would be this one. Sure, it’s not the most original idea and Upper Deck has already done this death, but there’s a reason why any MJ fan would want that particular item. It’s the original inspirational poster before middle managers thought they could increase productivity with stupid quotes that are rarely attributed to the right person.
Failure
Anytime I see an MJ stan act like MJ never failed, I point out this quote. It’s easy to root for the guy who never failed, but it turns out he failed a whole hell of a lot too. Also, MJ stans continue to be the worst.
Air Jordan
It’s the original Air Jordan poster, but I remember it more as a card that came with the Air Jordan 1. Still looking for a good price on a mint condition one though…
Six Rings
/Rant: You know how some people get incredulous whenever Jordan’s six championship rings get brought up as some sort of gold standard when Bill Russell has eleven? Well, it’s kind of like how Kobe’s 81 points is looked upon by this generation as the benchmark even though Wilt Chamberlain once scored 100 in a game. People want to feel like the moments that they lived through are the coolest thing ever and nothing could ever possibly top it. So yeah, dope picture and poster, but also another reminder of MJ stans, who are still the worst.
Dunk Contest
I swear, every time I see this picture, Jordan’s distance from the ground gets a little bit higher as if he’s dunking on a 12-foot rim. You almost begin to question the authenticity of the photo, that’s how amazing Jordan’s dunk seems as more time passes. I just wonder if this is the first or second free-throw dunk that he got a perfect score for as Dominique Wilkins looks on with a “I’m actually going to get robbed out of this” face.
Art Of The Dunk
It’s not the best poster, but it is the one that stayed on my wall for the longest time. It has made it through two apartments and a house and is enjoying life right now rolled up in retirement after spending close to a decade pinned or taped up.
Sneakers In 4K: Air Jordan 12 The Master
The post The Masters: 10 Favorite Nike Air Jordan Posters appeared first on KicksOnFire.com.
