Turn the ‘Flu Game’ on its head with the final Air Jordan retro of 2020

You know the legend.

June 11, 1997. Salt Lake City, Utah. The NBA Finals are tied at 2-2, and the Jazz are undefeated at home in the postseason.

Michael Jordan suits up despite being rendered almost unable to play by what we now know to be food poisoning from a questionable pizza delivery the night before.

But MJ wasn’t one to shy in the face of adversity. Even though he was struggling to muster the energy to get up and down the court, Jordan posted 38-7-5 with 3 steals and a block to help put the Bulls over the top and into a virtually unassailable 3-1 series lead going back to Chicago.

The iconic image of the “Flu Game” was Jordan collapsing into Scottie Pippen’s arms just before the final buzzer, but sneakerheads remember something else: what was on MJ’s feet.

The black/red Air Jordan 12s, now immortalized as the “Flu Game” colorway, went down in history with that unforgettable feat of athletic performance.

Now, to cap off an unforgettable (for different reasons) year, Jordan Brand has unveiled one last retro release that flips the script on that famous colorway.

The Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Varsity Red’ switches the color scheme, changing the faux-lizard skin mudguards from red to black, while the black leather upper turns to red suede in the 2020 version.

Play through anything when the Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Varsity Red’ drops in full family sizing on 12/26 at finishline.com and select stores via mobile app reservation.

– Available at FinishLine.com or in select stores via mobile app reservation on 12/26.

– To enter for a reservation of the Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Varsity Red,’ head to our mobile app on Monday, 12/14 at 10am EST. Reservations will close on Thursday, 12/17 at 1pm EST.

– Reserved pairs can be picked up in store

– No pairs will be sold in stores on 12/26, only at FinishLine.com

– To adhere to local social distancing guidelines, we suggest picking up your shoes during designated windows of time:

11am-1pm (last names beginning with A – G)

1pm-3pm (last names beginning with H – M)

3pm-5pm (last names beginning with N – T)

5pm-7pm (last names beginning with U – Z)

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