You're probably pretty familiar with the Air Jordan 13, right? The striking panther-inspired mid top was Jordan's weapon of choice in the '97-98 NBA season, and it's one of a handful of retro AJ Legacy models that stand strong as high performers today. The Zoom Air cushioning and a comfortable upper have helped the XIII remain a mainstay on the hardwood.
But this recently revealed concept sketch from Tinker Hatfield may surprise you. This detailed rendering breaks down what could have been the thirteenth Air Jordan sig shoe, and the differences are pretty drastic. The prototype leans towards more of a trainer look than a traditional basketball sneaker, with its angular shaped toebox and upper, outsole pods, and midfoot lockdown strap. Also worth noting is the clear rubber outsole, which has been favored for outdoor use, and "J Gas Cushioning", a cushion setup which never came to fruition. Considering that Nike's Air and Zoom Air cushions have remained the most commonly utilized in their performance models, it would have been interesting to see how J Gas cushioning stacked up against the rest.
A few things remain the same. The Dynatec mesh upper was carried over to many of the final colorways, as was the synthetic suede collar. The outsole design was similar, but ended up placing the pods closer together for the retail version.
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