When you think of the phrase “sneakerhead” you almost always invision a crispy pair of Air Jordans; laced and styled to perfection with minimal wear and tear, the sneakers sit on a shelf, in airtight glass, in hopes of keeping these prized kicks in tip-top shape. Because of the legacy, icon status, and almost fairy-tale nature of Michael Jordan‘s life and basketball career, the Air Jordan has become a pop culture and fashion mainstay with the sneaker going strong for over 40 years now. Michael Jordan, Nike, and co. would go on to release 35 (and counting) pairs of these and, with the amount of Air Jordan rereleases slated for this year alone, we thought it would be a great time to celebrate the coveted shoe by running through the top ten best Air Jordan Silhouettes of all time.
Sound off in the comment section with your personal favorite Air Jordan silhouette.
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You really can’t discuss the greatness of the Air Jordan 12 without tackling the history of the Flu Game—the sole reason for the 12’s iconic standing. Locked in with a battle against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals, MJ had become sluggish and almost immobile. As he winced in pain and stumbled around the court, a teammate soon figured out that MJ had been feeling under the weather. But, as the Bulls were coming off of a two-game skid against these powerful and tactful Jazz players, something had to give if MJ and the boys wanted another championship. The shift came during Game 5 as MJ battled both the Jazz and illness. In historical MJ fashion though, he stormed through the Jazz, tearing apart their defenses and scoring 38 points. Donning the Air Jordan 12, MJ soared the air, dazzling the arena as the Chicago Bulls cemented themselves victors of the 97 NBA Finals, making the 12s a championship shoe in the process with the bred colorway nicknamed the “Flu Game” 12s.
9. Air Jordan 7
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Michael Jordan was in search of his second title in the 1991-92 season. All throughout the off-season, leading up to the beginning of the NBA games, the sports media had been hyping up the inevitable meeting between Michael Jordan and Portland Trail Blazers Clyde Drexler. After Magic Johnson had retired due to contracting AIDS and Larry Bird announced this would be his last season, the NBA was looking for their next big rivalry and had already been planting the seeds for their future. Clyde and Michael would meet in the 1992 NBA Finals and it was here that MJ’s latest shoe, the Air Jordan 7, earned its notoriety. In Game 1 of the Finals, MJ donned the AJ7, and came on the court hot; launching threes from every crevice of the floor, MJ broke the record for most points in a first half in the playoffs (previously belonging to NBA Legend Elgin Baylor). MJ would finish the game with 39 points, and erupt again in Game 5 with 46 points. As the Bulls beat the Trailblazers 4-2, MJ would acquire his second title, Finals MVP, and sixth scoring title.
8. Air Jordan 5
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Hey, fun fact: did you know that the Air Jordan 5’s rubber soles were inspired by the Nike Marty McFly from the movie Back to the Future II? Yes, Tinker Hatfield had created those shoes for the movie and loved the technology used in the rubber sole and opted to bring that over to MJ’s signature, beginning with the 5. Making their debut in February 1990, the five was released with five colorways with two of the colorways, Metallic/Black and Fire Red having the 23 on the heel. Limited to 100 pairs for sale, they were exclusively given out to the less fortunate or auctioned off. Tinker added personality aesthetics to the 5 with the added detail of a flame decoration along the side of the iconic shoe. Tinker felt that MJ performed on the court “like a fighter plane” and so he drew inspiration from a WWII British Fighter Plane, the Spitfire MkVIII, for inspiration.
7. Air Jordan 9
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Welcome to retirement. It was the moment of a lifetime as the greatest basketball player on the planet made the decision that he would be retiring from the NBA. But by the time he would make this announcement on October 6th, 1993, the Air Jordan 9 was already in production and close to being a finished product. With Michael’s decision being final (for the moment) and with no MJ on the court to wear the next version of the Air Jordan, what was going to happen to the next silhouette? Well, in a history-altering move, Nike felt it was time to give players a special colorway of another player’s shoe as they sought to market the Air Jordan 9 to the masses without “His Airness.” Giving birth to the PE, Nike famously gave Penny Hardaway his own version of the Air Jordan 9 that donned the Orlando Magic colors rather than the Chicago Bulls colors. But the shoe would eventually be worn by MJ himself, just never on the court. In MJ’s NBA retirement, he played Minor League Baseball and sported a version of the Air Jordan 9s as cleats.
6. Air Jordan 11
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First debuting the Air Jordan 11 during his return to the playoffs and to the league after an early and brief retirement, MJ took the floor in the detailed patent shoe against the Orlando Magic. At this point, the Air Jordan 11s were a sample prototype shoe known as the
Jordan Beyond but fans (and the NBA alike) were shocked to see what MJ was sporting on his feet: the model soon to be known as the Air Jordan 11 “Space Jam.” The Magic would send MJ and the Bulls home early during that playoff run but he would be back. Michael returned with a chip on his shoulder the following year and sported new colorways of the 11, specifically the “Concord” and the “Playoff” which he wore in the 1995-96 playoffs.
5. Air Jordan 8
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In the grand lore of the Air Jordan, the Air Jordan 8 is synonymous with Michael’s three-peat season with the 1992/1993 season. Making its debut in February 1993, 8s came in two colorways: OG Bugs Bunny which sported the Chicago colors for league rule purposes, and then, arguably one of the best colorways in all of the Jordan pantheon, the “Aqua 8s,” kitted out in Black, Concord, and Aqua tones. But the iconic “Playoff 8s” would make their debut in April 1993, just in time for the finals that were around the corner. Donning the “Playoffs,” MJ would take the floor against the Phoenix Suns for his chance to obtain the coveted three-peat, which no team had done in the NBA since the Boston Celtics from 1959-1961. The Chicago Bulls would, off the strength of John Paxson’s game-sealing three, and MJ would be crowned his third championship and yet another MVP.
4. Air Jordan 6
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Continuing the dominance set forth by the creativity and genius of Tinker Hatfield, the Air Jordan 6 was released in 1991, retailing at about $125. Featuring a clear rubber on the outside of the kick and infamous lace locks. Putting a focus on breathability, the sneaker was perforated throughout the silhouette to ensure a comfortable performance on or off the court. Design aside, this sneaker is most famous for being the sneaker that MJ would sport while obtaining his first NBA Championship in the league. Chicago Bulls vs Los Angeles Lakers (of course), this finals represented a kind of changing of the guard for the NBA as the aging Magic faced off against the rising MJ— it was the beginning of a Dynasty. The Bulls would win it 4-1 as Michael Jordan averaged 31.2 points on 56% shooting, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks as he nabbed both the NBA Championship and Finals MVP. Could it have been because of the sneakers? Probably not, but the way MJ played and how gracefully he wore his signature sneakers, he made you believe.
3. Air Jordan 4
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A worthy follow up to the 3, the Air Jordan 4 was the shoe that became associated with “The Shot,” the last minute shot attempt that MJ took over the Cleveland Cavaliers, with seconds remaining. Occurring during the 1989 NBA playoffs, MJ found himself in a moment that could potentially become adding to his rapidly growing legacy, and that he did. Wearing the Black Cement colorway of the remarkable silhouette, MJ celebrated as he leaped in the air pumping his fist with pride, vigor, and the trademark Jordan swag that we would remember him for. And it was because of this performance that the 3s became a cultural phenomenon. Maybe the fans couldn’t be freaks of nature like MJ but with the purchase of the shoes, they could at least dress like Mike, creating a more accessible version of MJ than the league had seen up until that point.
2. Air Jordan 3
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Designed by the great Tinker Hatfield (and would serve as the continuance of a positive working relationship for the next twelve pairs of sneakers), the Air Jordan 3 was one of the sneakers that made MJ, MJ. Wearing the sneakers during the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, MJ was crowned the MVP, in Chicago, “Cementing” him as an early fan favorite. Although he wouldn’t win his first NBA Championship until 1991, sneakerheads were more amazed by the sneakers that seemingly allowed for the Chicago Bull legend to soar through the air like an eagle. Decorated with elephant print along the outside of the toe box and the heel, the Air Jordan 3 was significant for being one of the first basketball sneakers to carry itself like a luxury brand instead of a sporting good. It was also significant for being the first Jordan that carried the Jumpman logo, and thus began the process of separating itself from the Nike brand of shoes through very specific creative decisions (most notably the luxury aspect). It also kicked off the campaign of “His Airness” by infusing more of his personality into the marketing for the shoe.
1. Air Jordan 1
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This sneaker has become one of the most recognizable sneakers in sneaker history. Think about that. It’s not just among the most popular Jordans of all time but one of the most popular sneakers of all time. And for good reason. While it is true that the Air Jordan wasn’t quite what it was about 15 years ago, the multiple golden eras of the shoe is one of the reasons this shoe is number one on the list. But then there is the Michael Jordan aspect of it. The Air Jordan 1, specifically in the Bred and Chicago colorways have both become synonymous with the Air Jordan brand. MJ made the AJ1s an iconic staple when he scored 63 points on the Boston Celtics in Boston in 1986. With the Chicagos freshly laced on his feet, MJ went off, dazzling fans of the Bulls and stunning fans of the Celtics in the process.
Did your favorite Jordan make the cut? Sound off in the comments below and let us know what your top 10 would be.
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