#5 Jordan 5 grape 

The Jordan 5 Grape was one of the first sneakers that opened the door to exotic colorways in sneakers. Michael Jordan never played in this color, but the Grape 5 was a hit shoe all around the world. This shoe was the first shoe in the Jordan line to have a clear rubber sole. The Jordan Grape 5 was also the first time a company had molded foam into a shoe’s upper. The flame on the side was an idea from famous shoe designer Tinker Hatfield, as he said Michael Jordan played like a fighter plane. Tinker Hatfield got the idea of a World War II British fighter plane with a rigid shark mouth. The Grape also came with a reflective tongue. Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air wore the Grape 5 in a couple episodes and made the shoes highly sought after. Will Smith helped make the shoe popular, and Jordan gave him his own Jordan 5 shoe design called the Fresh Prince. The Grape 5 was revolutionary in its design, and now today you see many companies use clear soles as well as have foam on the upper parts of their shoes. New Jordan 5 Grape is releasing April 19th, 2025.

#4 Jordan 14  “Last Shot”

The Jordan 14 “Last Shot” was made famous by Michael Jordan when he hit the game-winning shot in game 6 of the 1998 finals against the Jazz wearing these shoes. This would be Jordan’s last shot he ever takes with the Chicago Bulls. It’s arguably one of the most famous shots in the history of basketball. This Was Jordan’s last ring he would win with the Bulls. Michael Jordan almost never wore the Jordan 14 while being on the Bulls. Legendary shoe designer Tinker Hatfield sent Jordan a prototype of the shoe and told him not to wear it. Tinker Hatfield was inspired by the Ferrari 550M. Which happens to be one of Jordan’s favorite cars. When Jordan got the prototype, he liked them so much that he went against Hatfield’s demands and played in the shoes in the finals. This would be Jordan’s last championship with the Bulls, and he created a moment that will be stamped in basketball history forever. The shoe featured a double air zoom unit, which is a premier feature in Nike shoes, and the Jordan 14 was a lower top shoe for speed. I have linked a video of Jordan’s iconic shot down below. https://youtu.be/siXP1DNLeOo

#3  Jordan 6 “infrared”

The Jordan 6 Infrared was the shoe that Jordan won his first championship in and first NBA Finals MVP in. This made this shoe iconic as it symbolizes the beginning of a dynasty for Michael Jordan. The Jordan 6 was one of the first shoes that had reinforcements around the toe area. Legendary sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield was inspired for this design by one of Jordan’s German sports cars. The tongue on the shoe was a mimic of a spoiler design on a German car. The tongue of the shoes had two holes in it to help put the shoe on easier.

#2 Jordan 1 Banned

The Air Jordan 1 banned the shoe that started it all. The original pioneer of the sneaker world took the public by storm when Jordan first stepped onto the court his rookie year. The shoe caught so much publicity that the league sent a notice to the vice president of Nike saying the shoe didn’t follow NBA league policies. As rumored, Nike would end up paying any fines to the league associated with the colorway of the shoes. The Air Jordan 1 Banned revolutionized the sneaker world and opened many companies’ eyes to exploring different colorways for their sneakers. This also opened the NBA’s and players’ eyes to the fact that the players should be able to choose whatever shoe they want to wear.

#1 Jordan 3 Black Cement

The shoe that saved Jordan from leaving Nike. The Air Jordan 1 was an instant hit, but the Air Jordan 2  was not a hit. Jordan hated the shoe and was ready to leave Nike. Legendary shoe designer Tinker Hatfield was put to the test to make a shoe for Jordan that would keep him on Nike. Tinker Hatfield had made the Air Max 1 for Nike, which was a big test. Nike assigned him to create this shoe under high pressure. Jordan was 4 hours late to his meeting for the unveiling of the Jordan 3. Jordan was ecstatic about the shoe and loved the design. Jordan was very pleased with all the design flaws they fixed from the Jordan 2. Phil Knight, founder of Nike, said that the Jordan 3 was the shoe that saved Nike. The upper of the shoe was made with tumbled leather and was the first shoe to have the Jumpman logo on it. This shoe was the first shoe Jordan used that featured the famous elephant print that is a staple on Jordan sneakers till this day. The Jordan 3 midsole featured an air unit. This shoe revolutionized Nike into the powerhouse of what it is today. Nike has still relied on Air unit technology in their shoes for over the last 40 years.

Honorable mention-

Air Jordan 11 Space Jam—one of the most successful shoe releases in sneaker history. The Air Jordan 11 Space Jam was first featured in the 1995 playoffs but was brought to fame when Michael Jordan wore them in the hit movie Space Jam. Space Jam is the highest-grossing basketball movie ever. This brought huge crowds of people seeking these shoes. Every release of the Air Jordan 11 Space Jam Has people running to sneaker stores and waiting in lines for hours or even days.