Michael Jordan earned the nickname "Black Cat" for his unrivalled mix of strength and stealth, which kept him in opponents' heads while throwing them off balance. Throughout the 1997–98 season, Jordan consistently outmanoeuvred his rivals with a remarkable deftness all his own. Inspired by a panther's predatory instincts, Tinker Hatfield harnessed that fearsome power to create the Air Jordan 13—which featured an unconventional holographic eye and an outsole resembling a panther paw.

To give players the feeling of feline agility, the Air Jordan 13 featured innovations like a carbon-fibre plate and Zoom Air. The AJ13 saw seven OG releases, as MJ neared his first retirement era as a champion. The shoe was released as a retro in 2004, with new limited colourways in high- and low-top versions for men and women—and again in 2006, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015. They also continued Jordan's longtime collaboration with Spike Lee, appearing in Lee's 1998 joint He Got Game on the feet of Jake Shuttlesworth, played by Denzel Washington and helping the 2013 retro shoe earn its "Black Toe" nickname.