{"id":335681,"date":"2013-09-27T15:03:23","date_gmt":"2013-09-27T20:03:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=335681"},"modified":"2022-10-03T15:13:35","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T20:13:35","slug":"closing-kicks-what-elite-athletes-wore-in-their-career-finales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/closing-kicks-what-elite-athletes-wore-in-their-career-finales\/","title":{"rendered":"Closing Kicks: What Elite Athletes Wore in Their Career Finales"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mariano Rivera<\/strong> pitched his last game in pinstripes last night, making an emotional exit after he was pulled out of the game by his Yankees teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Petite. The greatest closer of all time knew that this was the end, since New York has been eliminated from playoff contention, but not everyone rides off into the sunset on a high note. From Michael Jordan<\/strong> to Barry Sanders<\/strong>, some of the most memorable retirement moments in sports included iconic sneakers.<\/p>\n

Click through the pages to see some of the other top career caps and kicks duos. Let us know who had the best combination of the two in the comment box at the end, and keep Snkrs Day<\/strong> bookmarked for all of your sneaker news and history.<\/p>\n

Michael Jordan<\/h2>\n Image via SI Photos<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 1998
\nModel:<\/strong> Air Jordan 14 “Last Shot”<\/p>\n

Michael Jordan<\/strong> hit the “Last Shot”<\/strong> in Utah in his brand new Air Jordan 14<\/strong>s, capping off his second three-peat and sixth NBA Championship. It was a fairytale ending for the greatest player of all time, but it wouldn’t be the last time MJ hit the hardwood.<\/p>\n Image via SI Vault\n

Year:<\/strong> 2003
\nModel:<\/strong> Air Jordan 18 White\/Royal<\/p>\n

Michael Jordan<\/strong> made his second return from retirement to the League for two seasons with the Washington Wizards. Still averaging 20 PPG<\/strong>, MJ further proved that he is the best to ever play the game, and bowed out once and for all in Philadelphia in the Air Jordan 18<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Image via Kixclusive\n

<\/p>\n

Deion Sanders<\/h2>\n Image via Dallas News\n

Year:<\/strong> Air Jordan 11 PE
\nModel:<\/strong> 2001<\/p>\n

Deion Sanders<\/strong> wrapped up his baseball career five years before he stopped playing football, and did so during the 2001 season with the Cincinnati Reds. Making his first return to the diamond since 1997, Prime Time played one last season in an array of footwear, which included an Air Jordan 11 PE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Best Deion Sanders Shoes Of All Time<\/p>\n Image via Spokeo<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 2006
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Air Diamond Turf<\/p>\n

Convinced by Ray Lewis<\/strong> to give it one more go on the gridiron, Deion Sanders<\/strong> wrapped up his football career with a short stint in Baltimore. The Ravens failed to even make the playoffs, but of course Prime Time went out in style, revisiting his Nike Air Diamond Turfs<\/strong> in a Ravens style code.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Scottie Pippen<\/h2>\n Image via Photo File<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 2004
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Zoom Flight 2k3<\/p>\n

After helping Michael Jordan<\/strong> win all six of his Larry O’Brien trophys from 1987-1998, Scottie Pippen<\/strong> strayed away from Chicago to Houston and Portland, before returning to the Windy City for one season to wrap up his NBA career in 2004. Failing to even make the playoffs, Pippen quietly stepped away in the Nike 2K3<\/strong> and his #33 Bulls uniform that was retired the very next year.<\/p>\n Image via Lee Summit\n

<\/p>\n

Barry Sanders<\/h2>\n Image via Spokeo<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 1998
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Air Zoom Turf Jet 97<\/p>\n

Barry Sanders<\/strong> is in the conversation for best running back of all time, but his turf sneakers in Detroit are second to none. Unexpectedly hanging them up in 1998 after the Lions failed to make the playoffs, Sanders finished running in the Nike Air Zoom Turf Jet 97.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Gary Payton<\/h2>\n Image via Investors\n

Year:<\/strong> 2007
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Zoom Flight 98 “The Glove” PE<\/p>\n

After winning his first and only NBA Championship with Shaq and D-Wade during his first year in Miami, Gary Payton<\/strong> finished his Hall of Fame career with a second year with the Heat. GP laced up his iconic Nike Zoom Flight 98 “The Glove” PEs during his final year, which will retro for the first time this year.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Glove Love: The Best Shoes Worn By Gary Payton<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ken Griffey Jr.<\/h2>\n Image via Faniq<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 2010
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Air Max Griffey Swingman Remix<\/p>\n

After revitalizing baseball in Seattle, Ken Griffey Jr.<\/strong> returned to the Mariners for a final go-round in 2010. Griffey was carried off of the field in the final game of the 2010 season in his Nike Air Max Griffey Swingman Remix<\/strong>, but would return the following year for only a few games before quietly bowing out.<\/p>\n Image via Freshness<\/a>\n

<\/p>\n

Charles Barkley<\/h2>\n Image via Bleacher Report<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 2000
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Air Valor Force<\/p>\n

Charles Barkley<\/strong> ended his decorative career in Houston, where the Rockets never really lived up to their potential. After being one of the faces of Nike Basketball with signature shoes and PEs throughout his career, Sir Charles ended his tenure in the Nike Air Valor Force<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>A History of Charles Barkley’s Signature Shoes<\/p>\n Image via Moez Tavern<\/a>\n

<\/p>\n

Ray Lewis<\/h2>\n Image via National Post\n

Year:<\/strong> 2013
\nModel:<\/strong> Under Armour Football Cleats<\/p>\n

The face of Under Armour<\/strong>‘s football department, Ray Lewis<\/strong> publicly announced his plans to hangup his UA cleats at the end of the 2013 season. One of the NFL’s best linebackers of all time, Lewis went out with a storybook ending by winning the 2013 Super Bowl<\/strong>. Although his brand created a special edition gold custom cleat for Ray to wear in the big game, he elected to take care of business in his famous all-black look.<\/p>\n Image via Under Armour<\/a>\n

<\/p>\n

David Robinson<\/h2>\n Image via NBA\n

Year:<\/strong> 2003
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Air Max Chosen TB<\/p>\n

David Robinson<\/strong> was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs<\/strong> in 1987. He didn’t play until 1989 due to his Naval commitment, but the Hall of Fame player donned the Spurs’ black and silver all the way through until his storybook ending in 2003. Alongside Tim Duncan, The Admiral and the Spurs capped off his career by winning the Larry O’Brien trophy, which Robinson did in the year’s Nike Team Bank Chosen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Image via Nordstroms<\/a>\n

<\/p>\n

Mariano Rivera<\/h2>\n Image via NY Post<\/a>\n

Year:<\/strong> 2013
\nModel:<\/strong> Nike Mariano Custom Cleats<\/p>\n

Mariano Rivera<\/strong> will go down in history as the greatest closer in all of Major League Baseball. “Mo” is a 13-time All-Star and a 5-time World Champion, and also the League’s career leader in saves and games finished. Going out on his own terms, Rivera finished his career in custom Nike Baseball cleats, which were a part of an Exclusive Collection by Nike to commemorate his amazing run.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mariano Rivera pitched his last game in pinstripes last night, making an emotional exit after he was pulled out of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4655,"featured_media":335868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[618],"tags":[],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nClosing Kicks: What Elite Athletes Wore in Their Career Finales | Snkrs Day<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Where to buy Closing Kicks: What Elite Athletes Wore in Their Career Finales shoes. 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