The Air Jordan 12 released in 1996 and is the shoe Michael Jordan wore during his fifth NBA championship — including the legendary "Flu Game" against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals. Its distinctive rising-sun upper, inspired by the 19th-century Japanese flag, gives it one of the most visually immediate silhouettes in the Jordan catalog.
Tinker Hatfield designed the AJ12 drawing from the Rising Sun flag as a symbol of strength and determination. The stitched sunray panels and Jumpman logo on the tongue create a uniquely formal, almost ceremonial look. The AJ12 was also the first Jordan to feature Zoom Air technology, and the first to use a genuine leather upper as the primary material after several earlier models experimented with synthetics.
The Flu Game (June 11, 1997):
Michael Jordan, battling flu symptoms and dehydration, scored 38 points in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, collapsing into Scottie Pippen's arms as the Bulls won 90-88. The colorway — "Bulls" (black/red) — became instantly legendary. The actual game-worn pair later sold for $104,000 at auction.
Championship:
Jordan won his fifth NBA championship (1996-97) in the AJ12 and his sixth (1997-98) as well.
Signature colorways:
- Flu Game — black upper with red accents, the Bulls' home colorway
- Taxi — white/black iconic retro, named for NYC cab color palette
- Playoffs — black upper with white accents
- French Blue — white with French blue accents
- OVO (2016) — Drake's October's Very Own collab, white/gold
- Master — white/black elevated take
- CP3 (Chris Paul PE releases) — multiple player-exclusive colorways
Retail:
$200 for standard High retros.
JustFreshKicks covers every Air Jordan 12 release — Flu Game retros, Taxi reissues, OVO collaborations, and player exclusives — with release dates, images, and launch links.