After three consecutive years at the pinnacle of basketball, Michael Jordan stepped off the court and onto the baseball diamond—but his hiatus from the hardwood didn’t hinder the release of the Air Jordan 9. While MJ batted for the minor leagues, the Air Jordan line only cemented itself further into the culture. And although this release was never worn by number 23, it became an icon nonetheless.

With a minimalist upper design and one-pull lace system, the Air Jordan 9 made its debut as the lightest and most responsive Air Jordan ever. Inspired by MJ’s status as an international icon, the four OG colorways featured multilingual details on the sole, including words like independence, freedom, athletic, and force. This iteration of the Jordan line also paid tribute to MJ’s professional pivot—the Air Jordan 9 player exclusives included a shoe for the court and a cleat for the diamond.