Tag-teaming off of
@concerto5 and following in the tradition of the NBA's year end awards, here are my 2016 Air Jordan Award winners...
Regular Season MVP (Most Valuable Pair) - Air Jordan 1 High OG Banned/Bred
* Logic: "valuable" as in every collection should have this pair in it NOT the most expensive pair or pair with highest resale value
Comeback Pair of the Year / Most Improved Pair - Air Jordan 12 OG Flu Game
* Logic: After the atrocity that was the nubuck Flu Game 12s from 2009, the remastered version of the original made its triumphant return in 2016
Rookie of the Year - Air Jordan XXXI Black Cat
* Logic: New design that's never been released before - when it comes to the overall combination of tech, materials, and design, this newcomer takes the cake. Of all the AJ 31's that have released, this premium version was done the way the AJ31 should've been done - with the wings logo on the lateral.
Sixth Man / Sixth Pair Award - Air Jordan 3 Cyber Monday
* Logic - We all have our go-to pairs in our weekly rotations, but this pair is the best low-key or most underappreciated pair of 2016 because it either sat on shelves or wasn't as hyped as other J's. The AJ1 Yin Yang or AJ1 Metallic Navy could've easily taken this award amidst the numerous pairs of 1s that dropped in 2016 but the CM 3 gets my vote not just because of its simplistic styling and color and quality of leather but also because of its uniqueness compared to other 3s (no elephant print) that differentiates it from its class.
All-Star Pair MVP - Just Don x Air Jordan 2 Beach
* Logic - Whether it's the best collab, best quality and craftmanship, among the highest priced, or the most luxuriously composed piece, the MVP of the All-Star Game is the star among stars. The Just Don AJ 2 is just that, the MVP among all of 2016's all-star pairs. Its simple yet clean Beach colorway derives its greatness from its signature quilted leather composition perfectly mixed in with suede leather panels and the tan leather wings logo that adds to its luxurious flair.