In 2005, after 20 years in the shoe game, Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand had accomplished what no brand ever had before. They had inspired millions of players around the globe, built a lasting legacy and given the sporting world a new standard for greatness. An accomplishment of that magnitude called for a special shoe. To memorialise two transformative decades, Jordan turned to his legendary collaborator Tinker Hatfield, rekindling the partnership that had made—and then re-made—the modern sneaker game.

Hatfield used the 20th anniversary as his canvas and sought out to tell MJ's life story with his design. Over 200 icons were embedded in the upper, with each symbol speaking to Jordan's journey from childhood through the career that left an unparalleled legacy. There were also 69 dimples placed along the side—representative of MJ's highest scoring game of all time. To create a shoe that could serve as the autobiography for an athlete of MJ's stature, Tinker pulled out every stop—and the AJ 20 definitely fits the bill.