The black and red XIIs dropped a full week before spring break in my area back in 97. This was the shoe to have back then. Alot of guys from my HS skipped class to go pick these up at lunch. I thought that was crazy back then but that following weekend they were sold out everywhere and kids came back to school breaking necks left and right. They looked so dope on feet upon first look. That red looked so bold against that grainy black leather. I was sick the whole spring break watching my cousins flex hard on the court with them. My cousin had the red see through nike pants with Maryland OTS Nike players jersey I would of sold my soul for that fit lol. These were a shoe I remember clearly wanting bad. MJ didnt help the cause. He and the rest of the bulls balled out the whole playoffs with these. He played the most loose and confident in Black/Red XII. That series against Utah was no pushover. IMO that was Jordans toughest foes during the dynasty era. Nailbiters on the summer nights watching him play in the Black/Reds falling in love with this sneaker. Classic Air Jordan model on so many levels.
I eventually picked this shoe up in January 98 at San Marcos Nike Factory for 59.99 they had a FSR of these, obsidians, and white/navy Jumpman Pro 1. I copped the Jumpmans also and still have them to this day. The Black/Red XII was a shoe I could not kill. The most damage you can do to them is maybe make the red dull. I used these daily for PE, played ball at lunch, JROTC drill practice, wore them around neighborhood, washed car and cut grass in them and could not scuff them. That summer I fished, played dirt field football, put them in the washer and left them in sun to dry and no sole seperation ever. I wore this shoe casually with no problems or maintenance up until 2001 when I gave them away at college. OG XIIs were built to last forever. I still have my OG Playoff XIIs from 97 intact from years of being in a stuffy attic. My OG Taxis just started showing signs of seperation last spring after 19 years of abuse and neglect.
