Air Jordan 12 “Taxi” Launching 10/27 Colorway: WHITE/BLACK/TAXI Style: Men's and Kids' Sneakers

ast seen in 2013, the Air Jordan 12 "Taxi" gets a long-awaited and much-anticipated re-release, dropping on November 8 in full-family sizing. Cop this iconic silhouette in a classic colorway from Hibbett online or in-store.

AJ 12 “Taxi” Returns in Full-Family Sizing

The 1996/97 NBA season saw Michael Jordan win his fifth NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls. It was the year of the famous "Flu Game," when Jordan racked up 38 points in a pivotal Game 5 win over the Utah Jazz in the Finals. Some myth-makers mistakenly suggest Mike played the Flu Game wearing Air Jordan 12 "Taxi" sneakers, but that honor fell to a Black/Red AJ 12 colorway known as "Bred."

Still, Michael Jordan did wear the AJ 12 "Taxi" regularly throughout the 96/97 regular season. Since then, this OG AJ 12 colorway has become one of the all-time greats, a cornerstone of many sneakerheads' collections and coveted by those yet to cop a pair for themselves.

Jordan Brand has played around with variations on the theme, like 2021's "Royalty," which swapped out the Taxi's yellow highlights for gold, or 2024's Air Jordan 12 Retro "Taxi Flip," which replaced the yellow with red. But none of those releases quite scratched the itch created by the original Taxi. 

Hence, the excitement for this fall's forthcoming Air Jordan 12 Retro "Taxi" drop. The OG AJ 12 colorway returns on November 8. Expect the full range of family sizing, from men's to boys and girls sneakers in grade school (GS), pre-school (PS) and toddler (TD) sizes. Check out the Hibbett size charts online for more information about adult and kids' shoe sizes.

These classic Nike shoes typically run true to size, though consider going up half a size if you have wide feet because the AJ 12 toebox is a little narrow. 

Design Details of a Retro Icon

Legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield found inspiration for his designs in all sorts of unexpected places. The Air Jordan 5 borrowed elements Hatfield associated with World War II fighter jets. The Nike Air Huarache was influenced by the look and feel of water-skiing boots. And with the Air Max 1, Hatfield took his cues from the groundbreaking architecture of the Pompidou Center in Paris, exposing the inner workings of the shoe by making the air unit visible for the first time. 

A constant innovator, for the Air Jordan 12, Hatfield's surprising starting point was the Japanese flag. The rising sun inspiration is seen in the AJ 12's pleated leather upper, creating a fan of radiating panels akin to the sun's rays. On the "Taxi" colorway, the upper is a crisp, clean white, which contrasts with the shoe's black, faux-snakeskin mudguard. 

Yellow eyelets and a cutaway in the outsole exposing the yellow-and-black carbon fiber shank are the source of the colorway's name — and the reason why last year's Air Jordan 13 Retro "Taxi Flip" men's release was underwhelming for some, since it wasn't clear what changing yellow to red had to do with flipping taxis. 

But the OG AJ 12 "Taxi" colorway dropping November 8 features all the original details, from the signature bright yellow highlights to the "23" stamped on the heel in red and the red Jumpman logo reaching out from the sole of the shoe to the toe tip. The design also includes a Jumpman and "TWO 3" embroidered on the tongue. 

When it launched, the Air Jordan 12 was another step forward in shoe technology for Nike (and the nascent Jordan Brand). The sneakers were the first Air Jordans to feature full-length Zoom Air units, which are still a key cushioning technology across the Nike and Jordan Brand portfolio of shoes. 

But today, the AJ 12 is recognized more as a timeless silhouette with proven multi-generational appeal. As demonstrated by the excitement attached to the pending re-release of one of its OG colorways, the iconic Air Jordan 12 "Taxi."

It's been almost 30 years since Michael Jordan wore these AJ 12s on the court, and there have been many innovations in shoe design since, but the "Taxi" colorway remains a popular choice for collectors and sneakerheads of all ages.

Where to Buy the AJ12 “Taxi” This Fall

Cop the Air Jordan 12 Retro "Taxi" on November 8 at Hibbett online, via the mobile app or at your local Hibbett store. Shoes will be available in full family sizing, including men's, GS, PS and TD sizing.

Get all the latest news and information on this drop and future releases from the Hibbett launch calendar. And don't miss your chance to grab a pair of these classic Air Jordan shoes.