The 10 Best Air Jordans of 2023, Ranked

The landscape of Air Jordans in 2023—which are the best and which don’t quite make the cut—may be more interesting and notable for the latter group more than the former. The group overall is not too surprising, it includes a mixture of returning originals, new colorways of retro models, and time-tested collaborations that always hit the mark. But there are certain pairs on paper that feel like they should have been hits that ended up missing the mark.

One perfect example is the Air Jordan 1 “Royal Reimagined”—a remix of materials for an iconic and original colorway beloved by many. The concept didn’t quite translate, though, and the sneaker has sat on shelves, unlike other popular “Reimagined” retros like the “White/Cement” Air Jordan 3. What else is left off here? Sneakers that didn’t get a proper retail release were omitted, and some of the more ubiquitous general releases that just didn’t feel special enough (“Thunder” Air Jordan 4s, we see you) were left out on the bubble.

Enough about what didn’t work, though, and more on what did. Jordan Brand’s biggest pop culture partners like J Balvin and Travis Scott are still cranking out releases, to varying degrees of success. Jordan Brand still knows how to step up and flawlessly execute a retro bringback, or tweak it when said retro has become all too familiar. These are the best examples of Air Jordans this year. —Ben Felderstein

10. Air Jordan 1 'Black/White'

Release Date: 2/15/23
Price: $200
Jordan Brand’s Air Jordan 1 High 85 model, a version of the sneaker meant to closely match the 1985’s original silhouette, got off to a strange start. It first released in early 2020 in two iterations (a flipped black/red and a white/red from the “New Beginnings” pack) that weren’t actually original colorways. Since then, the releases have felt more deliberate, with the return of the much-anticipated “Neutral Grey” OG and a new well-received “Georgetown” makeup. This year, they dropped another original color, the simple but instantly wearable black-and-white. With “Panda” comparisons abound, the timing could have been more ideal, but that doesn’t take anything away from the shoe itself, which just manages to sneak in as one of the top Jordans of the year. —Riley Jones

9. Air Jordan 1 'Next Chapter'

Release Date: 5/20/23
Price: $200
For the second time, Jordan Brand teamed up with the Spider-Verse franchise to remix the iconic Air Jordan 1 “Chicago.” This time around, the collaboration leaned heavily into the concept of multiverse travel highlighted all throughout Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. While the first pair focused on comic-book-style patterns to pay homage, this one utilizes a number of unique glitch stylings to stand out. However, what was most impressive about this pair (at least in my eyes), was its integration into the actual movie.

Toward the end of the film, Miles Morales begins glitching as he spends more time in a universe that isn’t his. Along with himself, the Chicago 1s that he wears actually changes as well. When initial online images of this pair first leaked, I was far from a fan, but after seeing them in real life and seeing how creative the movie integration was, it is clear to me that the Air Jordan 1 “Next Chapter” is one of the best Jordans of 2023. —Ben Felderstein

8. Union Los Angeles x Bephies Beauty Supply x Air Jordan 1 High

Release Date: 8/24/23
Price: $200
Since releasing its highly coveted Air Jordan 1 pack in 2018, Union Los Angeles has become one of Jordan Brand’s most frequent collaborators. Some offerings have been better than others, but none have fully lived up to the standard set by the 2018 release. This year, Union took another stab at the Air Jordan 1. While it may not have outdone itself, the brand’s ability to push an oversaturated silhouette like the 1 into new territory needs to be commended.

The three-way collaboration between Union, Jordan Brand, and Bephies Beauty Supply (which also included a 1 Elevate High SP) was a fresh spin on the OG “Neutral Grey” 1s. Signature details from the 2018 pairs like a yellow logo tab and green stitching added to the collar were revisited, but what made these so good was the addition of woven leather that extended from the heel to the toe. An Air Jordan 1 being meshed with a Footscape Woven isn’t something that sounds like it should work, but it kinda did. If you are one of those people who still has a sour taste in their mouth from how these looked in the leaked images, do yourself a favor and get them in hand. It will probably change your mind. —Mike DeStefano

7. Air Jordan 12 'Cherry'

Release Date: 10/28/23
Price: $210
I remember when these came out in 2009. It was a similar time to now. At that time, the U.S. economy was in a recession. The government was busy sinking money into wars, people didn’t have money, and sneakers sat on shelves. Back then, the 12s took a good six months to sell out. They went on sale at my Foot Locker for $129.99, down from $150 retail—not because people didn’t like the shoes, although the sneaker’s signature red was pretty dull. The shoes sat because the interest in the sneaker market was at an all-time mid. Some might feel the same way right now. Jordans certainly do not sell out on release date, especially if the brand makes a lot of them.

But the “White/Varsity Red” 12s, also known as the “Cherries,” moved when they came out. Jokes were made that some would wear them with the matching Denim Tears sweatsuits, and I’m sure that’s happened. But it’s an OG Jordan sneaker that hasn’t been out in some time and fits in well in today’s fickle market. It goes to show that sometimes in a hectic world, a good sneaker will cheer (or cherry) people up. —Matt Welty

6. Air Jordan 11 'Gratitude'

Release Date: 12/9/23
Price: $230
Remember when Air Jordan 11s were still kind of sacred? We can’t blame Jordan Brand for capitalizing on the sneaker and trotting out a boatload of colorways over the past decade—you don’t have to look further than quarterly earnings boastings about Jordan 11s breaking records to know why that was a good idea—but it’s still hard not to be nostalgic for a time when the shoe wasn’t so regularly available in new makeups.

Back in the 2000s, seeing an Air Jordan 11 in a new colorway was truly special. In 2006, when Jordan Brand added a regal gold touch to a Concord-style base colorway, it was mind-blowing. The result, the “Defining Moments Pack” Air Jordan 11, was a mayhem-inducing sneaker release, and maybe the best the silhouette has looked outside of the original versions. The Air Jordan 11 “Gratitude” dropping this year is the closest we’ll get to a retro, this one coming with milkier soles but an overall similar look. The combo doesn’t hit quite the same as it did in the mid-2000s, but it very much still hits. —Brendan Dunne

5. A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 5

Release Date: 11/24/23
Price: $225
We can’t blame you if you’re not feeling too excited about A Ma Maniére’s Air Jordans right now. There are a lot of them. They generally look good, and the store understands how to create clean colorways and deliver them wrapped up in just enough storytelling, but it’s gotten tough to wade through the releases now that they’ve become so regular. There’s also the investigation into A Ma Maniére owner James Whitner’s reselling business that’s casting a pall on any products from his Whitaker Group empire right now.

Those details aside, A Ma Maniére’s Air Jordans still look great in a vacuum. Given the extent to which Nike and Jordan have been eager to have Whitner’s shop remix retro shoes, it was only a matter of time before an Air Jordan 5 (or two) happened. The A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 5s keep up the store’s standard of clean, quiet colorways that don’t break necks but still make a statement. —Brendan Dunne

4. Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low 'Olive'

Release Date: 4/26/23
Price: $150
Another Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low? Certainly there have to be better and more exciting choices to put on a “Best Air Jordans of 2023” list. Yet, in an era where fewer and fewer sneakers sell out immediately upon release, much less flip, Travis’ collabs have proven to have staying power far beyond the standard of the times. And he’s still the king of SNKRS.

There’s undoubtedly some fatigue when it comes to these Air Jordan projects (which certainly won’t be helped by rumors of a “Black Olive” colorway arriving in 2024), but the simple fact is these shoes still matter, are still popular, and while not breaking any design boundaries, are still really good. It looks like we’ll have to wait until next year to see the rapper’s currently unnamed original silhouette make its retail debut, but in the meantime, this sneaker (and the Golf variation that also released in 2023) serves as a healthy reminder of Travis Scott’s ongoing influence in the footwear world. —Zac Dubasik

3. J Balvin x Air Jordan 3

Release Date: 9/23/23
Price: $250
J Balvin’s collaborative Air Jordans have had varying degrees of success. His Air Jordan 1, a wild design, was largely well received and resells for over retail on the secondhand market. In contrast, his Air Jordan 2, while even more ambitious with its light-up tongue, was quick to hit sale racks and can be had for far under its original price of $300. But what they share is a sense of Balvin’s personality that is immediately recognizable as his own. No convoluted stories were necessary—they essentially look like J Balvin in sneaker form.

The Air Jordan 3 serves up that same signature style but in a much more wearable package thanks to its clean upper, toned-down elephant print, and gradient trim—a tribute to the sunsets in his hometown of Medellín, Colombia. That accessibility, while still maintaining his recognizable style, combine to make the sneaker Balvin's best yet. The shoe’s rollout didn’t hurt either, with a memorable co-sign coming courtesy of DJ Khaled. —Zac Dubasik

2. Air Jordan 3 'White Cement' Reimagined

Release Date: 3/11/23
Price: $210
The aged sneaker trend is nearing the point of exhaustion, but for some pairs, like this Air Jordan 3, it just makes sense. What makes it work well here is that Jordan Brand didn’t go too far with the faux-vintage treatment. The midsoles and heel tab have a cream tint to resemble what an original 1988 pair might look like today, but the rest of the remastering was focused on dialing in the finer points of the model.

The shape was sharper and closer to the original than it had been in years, and even the heel padding was slimmed down to more closely match the original’s specs. The shoe’s signature elephant print was also tweaked to look more like it did in ’88, although there were some quality control issues with the print, which could dock this release a few points in some eyes. Still, no shoe is perfect, and even earlier retros had similar discrepancies. At the end of the day, they’re meant to be worn, and this is about as close as you can get to wearing an ’88 pair of Air Jordan 3s in 2023. —Riley Jones

1. Nike SB x Air Jordan 4

Release Date: 3/17/23
Price: $225
Best Air Jordan of the year and possibly best sneaker of the year? Let’s wait and see. This sneaker shouldn’t have been as good as it was, at least on paper. Rumors started circulating that there was a Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 coming out this year. Skaters, such as Paul Rodriguez and Eric Koston, were seen weartesting an all-black pair. With the rise in popularity of the “Black Cat” 4s, people were excited. Then it was discovered that the sneakers were releasing in white and green, and people were less than thrilled. But then they saw the final product: White and green, sure, but they also had a gum sole and hits of red. Nike also took in the data from the skaters and improved the fit and comfort of the 4 for skating, but also its all-around wear, à la the SB Dunk.

This isn’t the first time SB has collaborated with Jordan Brand. The partnership goes back to 2014, when the brands launched the Air Jordan 1 SB with artist Craig Stecyk followed by Lance Mountain’s mismatched pairs.

The SB 4s caused release day madness. They dropped at skate shops, and Nike later restocked the shoes only for people who’d previously bought non-Dunk SBs. That was a hot topic. Meek Mill tried to lowball a reseller for the shoes at a sneaker event, and it went viral. 2023 hasn’t been the biggest year ever for Jordan Brand in terms of high-heat releases, but the SB 4 is where the brand got it right. Hats off to Nike SB too. —Matt Welty