No pose in sports is more iconic than Michael Jordan’s Jumpman leap. One could even argue, it’s one of the most iconic freeze frames in all of pop culture. The highlight reels continue on YouTube and Tik Tok. Posters adorned bedroom walls in the late 1980s and throughout the ’90s.
And then there are the sneakers and corresponding clothing. The Air Jordan brand, which took the Jumpman to another level by making it a logo, still generates billions of dollars for Nike every year. Billions, almost four decades later.
You’ll find Michael Jordan and the Jumpman on several of his cards, including one of his best — an oversized 1985 Nike promo card from the early days of the Air Jordan brand.
But it’s not just basketball cards with the pose. Here are three other places to find it.
1992 Bowman Cliff Floyd
Cliff Floyd was once considered the top prospect in all of baseball. While the 14th pick in the 1991 MLB Draft didn’t go on to have a Hall of Fame career, he was very solid spending 17 years in the majors. During his rise through the minors, Floyd was one of the hottest prospects in the hobby, appearing in a handful of sets. Of his five rookie cards, the 1992 Bowman Cliff Floyd is easily the best. It comes from one of the most popular baseball card sets of the early ’90s. And then there’s that perfect Jumpman pose. Well, maybe 9.5/10 — his free hand is a little too closed.
1993 Cardz Jim Henson’s Muppets #18 Air Beaker!
Before South Park‘s Kenny, there was Beaker. The meeping meeper of Muppet Labs, Beaker was always on the receiving end of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s ill-fated experiments. No wonder after all the times the fiery-haired assistant was beaten, stretched, multiplied and blown up, strange things happened. By the time the 1990s rolled around Beaker could fly! He also traded his lab coat for some fly fashions.
2015 Topps Garbage Pail Kids 30th Anniversary ’80s Spoof 7a Mad MICHAEL / 7b Jumpin’ JORDAN
Adam Bomb might be the most popular Garbage Pail Kid of all-time, but if you look to modern characters, Mad Michael is definitely up there. Part of the ’80s Spoof subset in 2015 Topps GPK 30th Anniversary, both the A/B versions of the card have become wildly popular, commanding big prices. Parallels include Black, Brown, Character Back, Green, Pink, Red Metallic, Sepia, Silver, Gold (#’ed/50), and Printing Plates (1/1). Art is by Brent Engstrom.
