Nick DePaula's Favorite Air Jordan

Though Michael may have never worn it on-court, the sleek design of the "Indiglo" XIV has long lived on as a classic.

words // Nick DePaula

As the story goes, I didn't have any Air Jordans growing up. My $50 budget didn't quite cover an annual game shoe through middle or high school, but that didn't stop me from admiring from afar.

I was constantly checking out new Eastbay catalogs and issues of SLAM for the latest glimpse of Air, and I was literally bugging friends at lunch to take their Js off so I could get a first-hand look at what all went into a mythical Air Jordan. On Sunday mornings, I was damn sure tuned into NBC to see the shoes in action for their intended purpose.

My favorite Air Jordan never made it onto MJ's feet and onto the court at the United Center, at MSG, or even the Delta Center though. Michael only wore the model itself twice during his final season as a Chicago Bull, and it's long been the "Indiglo" colorway of the Air Jordan XIV that I've absolutely LOVED.

In many ways, it's nearly a perfect shoe. Tinker Hatfield ushered in the notion of using cars as design inspiration, and no sneaker better mimicked the slopes, vents and contours of a sports car -- in this case, a Ferrarri 550M.

While the Ferrari's (and Michael's) signature color is of course red, I've personally never been a huge fan. I like base colored uppers, or mostly black with white accents. A few of my other favorite shoes around that time were the Pippen II, Penny I & II and later on, the away Zoom Generation.

No shoe did it better than the Indiglo XIV though. The way the white midsole foam dips up and past the black glossy support rails. The framing through the midfoot of the expertly molded shank. The white accents all around the shoe were perfectly placed, lending just enough light to keep the shoe from appearing too heavy, as triple black shoes can tend to do.

And then, not red, not chutney, not olive, not grape -- but "Indiglo." It was obviously the first time I had ever even heard of the hue, but the sharp neon gave it just the right spark, highlighting key logos and badging all along the upper, like the "hood" Jumpman, the side Ferrari-esque logo "shield," and the "tail lights" at the heel.

For a shoe meant to embody Michael's speed, control and on-court maneuvering, I always thought this color best captured the sleekness and explosive protection that Tinker Hatfield was after. The silhouette itself is entirely designed for relentless performance, from the asymmetrical cut, to the form-fitting midfoot, to the no-BS full herringbone traction pattern.

It's a sharp and precise design, and it's my favorite Air Jordan. It's everything an Air Jordan should be, and captures the peak of Michael's playing days. Here's to hoping that either it's done right as a Retro, or the brand lets the full-grain leather, Zoom Air-packed legacy of the original simply live on as near-perfect.