Perhaps the most coveted and sought shoe in the Air Jordan line, the Air Jordan XI is still, six years past its original release in 1995, one of the most distinctive basketball shoes ever produced.

The Air Jordan XI represented a renaissance in the Air Jordan line. After a few years of what many feel was a clear decline in quality with the Air Jordan VIII, IX, and X and with Jordan's retirement in 1993, the future of the Air Jordan line seemed in doubt. But then, in March of 1995, his Airness returned and with him came the old Air Jordan magic.

Released for MJ's first full season back in the league, the 1995 - 1996 campaign, the Air Jordan XI was, surprisingly, not an instant hit. In fact, many stores had a tough time selling the shoes at all. It wasn't until people started seeing MJ light up the league in his distinctive patent leather XIs that the shoes started to sell, and sell, and sell. And there seems no end to the demand as, even today, any new re-release of the XI sells out in a matter of hours in most cases.

The primary appeal of the Air Jordan XI for most people is it's incredibly distinctive appearance. The prominent use of patent leather paired with an otherwise simple upper and translucent outsole makes the XI instantly recognizable. The bold, yet simple and elegant look of the XI seems to embody, better than any other Jordan shoe, the essence of the man and his game.

But a big reason for the shoe's continued appeal is, in my opinion, its effectiveness as a high-performance basketball shoe. With a full-length Nike Air-Sole unit, full-length carbon fiber spring plate and durable ballistic mesh upper, the beauty of the Air Jordan XI runs well below the surface.

Form and function. Beauty and substance. Body and soul. The Air Jordan XI balances these often dueling elements in a way unmatched by any other basketball shoe. Many manufacturers, including Nike, have attempted to replicate the magic of the XI, but none has succeeded and I, for one, don't think that they ever will.