The History of Air Jordan 12 Reverse “Flu Game” Dropping December 2020
The History of Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game”
June 11, 1997 was a historic day in basketball history. We know many times in basketball history when a player achieved great feats: Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, most three-point shots in a game by Klay Thompson, and many more by many different players. But, did you hear about the “Flu Game” before?
It’s exactly what it sounds like. On June 11, 1997, in Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz, Michael Jordan set (another) record in basketball. According to fellow players and news media on that day, Michael Jordan was not feeling well at all for the entire day. He was throwing up; he couldn’t eat; he couldn’t get enough rest; he had a stomach ache and headache. Not the optimal condition to be in for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, especially since the series was tied at 2-2.
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But MJ did it once again. He surprised everyone with his performance: 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block and, most importantly, 38 POINTS. Though the league may be different today than it was back then, this is surprising statistics for a player who had flu-like symptoms for the entire day. Logically, this makes no sense, but because it was MJ, it makes sense.
Air Jordan 12: The “Flu Game” Sneaker
What legendary pair of sneakers was MJ wearing on this legendary day that somewhat helped him become more of a legend? It’s the Air Jordan 12 Black Red. Now, these shoes are legendary and are an important part of basketball AND sneaker history. The pair that MJ wore in the actual Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 1997 sold at an auction for $104K in 2013. That’s just insane, but given the history of these sneakers, it seems to be a legitimate price. Honestly, the exact pair MJ wore should be in a museum.
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Funny enough, these sneakers are not called AIR JORDAN 12 BREDs. Instead, they’re called AIR JORDAN 12 RETRO FLU GAME. The name makes sense, given the historic event that took place while MJ was wearing these. It’s just like the AIR JORDAN 1 BANNED. So, what if you wanted to buy these sneakers today (not the ones MJ wore of course)? Well, here is some good news for you.
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Air Jordan 12 Reverse “Flu Game” Dropping December 2020
There have been several re-releases ever since the initial drop in 1997: 2003, 2009, 2016. Of course, these have resale value, as it represents something historical. Though there isn’t a release of the exact flu game style, a somewhat interesting release is happening this December 2020: the Air Jordan 12 Reverse Flu Game is coming out.
Honestly, this colorway is such a great idea. Switching up the red and black colorways on the shoes was brilliant: it looks VERY good. Yes, the original style looks good too. However, having the red on the top really makes these sneakers look brighter and fresher than the OG pair. Both are definitely drips for different reasons and with different outfits.
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I can imagine the demand for these when they release, will be high, especially due to sneakerheads and lifelong MJ fans admiring MJ for his performance during the “Flu Game.” In addition, those who have the OG non-reverse AJ12 “Flu Game” would love to have the reverse version in their sneaker collection. The contrast between the non-reverse and reverse would be so pleasing to see.
These are a MUST COP for MJ fans, sneakerheads, and basketball lovers. There’s just so much history and admiration that I can’t see why these sneakers would go wrong in any way. What do you think? Cop or drop?
