June 11, 1997. Salt Lake City was loud. It was hostile. Michael Jordan looked like he was about to faint before the tip-off of Game 5 of the NBA Finals. He didn’t just look tired; he looked physically broken, eyes glazed over, sweat pouring off him in a way that had nothing to do with the dry Utah heat. Most people call it the Jordan 12 Flu Game, but if you ask anyone who was in that locker room, they’ll tell you "flu" is a generous euphemism for what was actually happening to MJ’s insides.
He played 44 minutes. He dropped 38 points. He grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 5 assists.
The image of Scottie Pippen literally carrying a semi-conscious Jordan to the bench is burned into the retinas of every basketball fan over the age of thirty. It wasn't just a win; it was a 90-88 soul-crusher that broke the Jazz. But decades later, the sneaker associated with that night—the black and red Jordan 12 Flu Game—has taken on a life of its own, becoming a cultural touchstone that represents pure, unadulterated grit.
The Pizza Theory and the 2 A.M. Mystery
Let's get one thing straight: it probably wasn't the flu.
Tim Grover, Jordan’s longtime personal trainer, has been vocal about this for years. According to Grover, they were staying at a hotel in Park City. It was late. Jordan was hungry. Everything was closed except for one pizza joint. Five guys showed up to deliver a single large pizza. Grover says he felt a bad vibe immediately. He told the guys, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Jordan ate the whole thing. Nobody else touched it.
By 2 A.M., MJ was curled in a fetal position, shaking and throwing up. It was food poisoning. Or, as some conspiracy theorists in Salt Lake still whisper, it was a deliberate "hit" by Jazz fans working the late shift at the local pizzeria. Whether it was a virus or a bad pepperoni slice doesn't really change the physics of what happened on the court. You try running full sprints against John Stockton and Karl Malone while your body is actively trying to expel its own lining. It shouldn’t work.
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The Jordan 12 Flu Game sneakers he wore that night—a pair of size 13s—eventually sold at auction for over $100,000, and later for a staggering $1.38 million. Think about that. Someone paid over a million dollars for a pair of shoes that were essentially soaked in the sweat of a man suffering from severe gastroenteritis. That’s the power of the Jordan brand.
Design Philosophy of the Jordan 12
Tinker Hatfield is a genius. We know this. But the 12 was a weird departure from the 11.
The Jordan 11 was all about that shiny patent leather, the "space age" look. The 12? It was inspired by the Japanese "Nisshoki" (the Rising Sun flag). You can see it in the stitching that radiates outward from the center. It’s a tank. Honestly, it’s one of the most durable Jordans ever built. It was the first to feature Zoom Air, which is basically a pressurized air unit with internal fibers that snap back.
It’s heavy, though.
In an era where sneakers are getting lighter and more "sock-like," the Jordan 12 feels like footwear built for an infantryman. That rigidity is actually why it worked for the Jordan 12 Flu Game moment. Jordan needed stability. He was dizzy. He was losing his balance. Having a shoe that essentially locks your foot into a stiff, carbon-fiber plated chassis probably helped him stay upright when his inner ear was telling him to lie down.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Colorway
If you go to a sneaker convention today and talk about the "Flu Games," everyone knows you mean the Black/Varsity Red 12s. But here’s the kicker: that wasn't a special "Flu Game" edition at the time. It was just a standard colorway.
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Nike, being the marketing behemoth they are, leaned into the legend later. They retroed the shoe in 2009 with a little sick-face emoji on the heel and "38" (for his points) and "97" (the year) on the pull tab. Purists hated it. They felt it turned a gritty, legendary performance into a cartoon.
When they brought them back again in 2016, they went back to the "OG" specs. No emojis. Just the leather. The 2016 version is widely considered the gold standard for anyone trying to hunt these down on the secondary market. The leather is tumbled, the red is deep, and the silhouette is sharp.
Why the 12 Still Matters in 2026
- Longevity: Most sneakers from the 90s crumble. The foam midsoles turn to dust (hydrolysis). The 12s, because of their construction, tend to last a bit longer if stored correctly.
- Cultural Weight: It’s one of the few shoes where the "story" is more famous than the "tech."
- Style Versatility: It’s a "loud" shoe, but the color blocking is simple enough that it hasn't aged poorly.
People keep buying them because they want a piece of that "never quit" mentality. It sounds cheesy, I know. But when you’re having a rough day at work or you’re exhausted at the gym, looking down and seeing the same shoes MJ wore while he was puking in a bucket between quarters... it does something to the psyche.
The Market Reality
If you’re looking to pick up a pair of Jordan 12 Flu Game retros right now, be prepared to pay. Prices on platforms like StockX or GOAT fluctuate, but you're rarely going to find a deadstock pair of the 2016s for under $400.
Watch out for the fakes. Because this shoe is so iconic, the "replica" market is flooded.
The easiest way to tell a fake 12? Look at the "JUMPMAN" tab on the side. On authentic pairs, the plastic tab is crisp, and the lettering is perfectly centered. On cheap knockoffs, the "N" often looks wonky, or the tab itself feels like flimsy toy plastic. Also, check the carbon fiber shank on the bottom. Real carbon fiber has a 3D texture and a specific "thwack" sound when you tap it with your fingernail. If it feels like painted plastic, run away.
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The Psychological Aspect of Game 5
We talk about the physical toll, but the mental part of the Jordan 12 Flu Game is what coaches still teach. Jordan started the game slow. He looked like he was moving through mud. In the first quarter, he was a ghost.
Then something clicked.
He realized he couldn't play his normal game. He couldn't burn energy on unnecessary movements. He became incredibly efficient. He took his shots, got to his spots, and then rested every single second the whistle wasn't blowing. It was a masterclass in energy management. He played the game with his brain because his muscles were failing him.
Phil Jackson later called it the greatest performance he’d ever seen. And Phil saw a lot.
The Jazz were a great team. Jerry Sloan had them humming. Stockton and Malone are Hall of Famers for a reason. But they couldn't beat a guy who was basically playing on 10% battery life. That loss effectively ended the Jazz's best chance at a ring. They never recovered from the psychological blow of losing to a "sick" Michael Jordan.
Final Practical Insights for Collectors
If you're serious about owning a piece of this history, don't just buy the first pair you see. The Jordan 12 Flu Game is a shoe that demands a bit of due diligence.
- Prioritize the 2016 Retro: Unless you are a hardcore historian who wants the 1997 originals (which you can't wear anyway because they'll explode), the 2016 release is the best balance of quality and accuracy.
- Size Down Slightly: Jordan 12s tend to run a bit big. They are "roomy." If you like a snug fit for actual basketball, consider going half a size down. If they're just for "the 'gram," stay true to size.
- Check the Heel: The "23" on the heel should be molded cleanly. If the numbers look blurry or the rubber feels "gummy," it’s a red flag.
- Condition is Everything: Because of the red "mudguard" (which is actually leather, not a traditional mudguard), these shoes show scuffs easily. Look for pairs where the red pigment is still vibrant and hasn't started to turn "ashy."
The Jordan 12 Flu Game isn't just a sneaker. It's a 48-minute documentary of human will. Whether it was the flu, a bad pizza, or a hangover—as some skeptics still claim—the result remains the same. The man showed up. He wore the black and red. He won.
For those looking to add this to their collection, focus on the 2016 leather quality and verify the carbon fiber shank before committing to a purchase. Keep them in a cool, dry place to prevent the sole from separating, and occasionally, actually wear them. They were built for the grind, not just the shelf.