This year’s top Air Jordans run the gamut from originals to brand-new colorways, and from returning retros to collabs. It’s a strong mix, albeit a bit top heavy, that is poised to hold its own not only amongst other Air Jordans, but in the broader 2023 sneaker landscape as well.
The collaborative projects cover a wide spectrum of partners, like staples Travis Scott and Union LA, a return to the Spider-Verse, and even Nike SB. Collaborations do not make up all of the list, as much of what we expect from Jordan Brand is classic, familiar colorways. Some of these came with a twist, like the “Wizards” and “Reimagined” Air Jordan 3s, and some stuck to the basics, like the ”Playoff” Air Jordan 13.
As we hit the halfway mark of 2023, we’re taking a look back at which Air Jordans stood out the most below. These are the best Air Jordans of the year, so far. As with all of our mid-year lists, we reserve the right to shuffle this order up at the end of the year, when we determine with more finality which were the best Air Jordans, and sneakers in general, of 2023.
This year’s top Air Jordans run the gamut from originals to brand-new colorways, and from returning retros to collabs. It’s a strong mix, albeit a bit top heavy, that is poised to hold its own not only amongst other Air Jordans, but in the broader 2023 sneaker landscape as well.
The collaborative projects cover a wide spectrum of partners, like staples Travis Scott and Union LA, a return to the Spider-Verse, and even Nike SB. Collaborations do not make up all of the list, as much of what we expect from Jordan Brand is classic, familiar colorways. Some of these came with a twist, like the “Wizards” and “Reimagined” Air Jordan 3s, and some stuck to the basics, like the ”Playoff” Air Jordan 13.
As we hit the halfway mark of 2023, we’re taking a look back at which Air Jordans stood out the most below. These are the best Air Jordans of the year, so far. As with all of our mid-year lists, we reserve the right to shuffle this order up at the end of the year, when we determine with more finality which were the best Air Jordans, and sneakers in general, of 2023.
10. Air Jordan 3 'Wizards'
Release Date: 04/29/23
Price: $210
So many retro colorways land with no real rhyme or reason to their looks, no story to tell, and no historical significance. And that’s fine—a good colorway doesn’t need to be anything other than just that, as evidenced by many of the OGs we hold in such high regard like the “Grape” Air Jordan 5. But when a retro colorway drops for the first time that does have some meaning behind it, it certainly can make for a more interesting release, which is exactly how the “Wizards” Air Jordan 3 landed on this list. Michael Jordan’s late-career return to the court with the Washington Wizards wasn’t particularly memorable from a basketball standpoint, but it did provide some lasting sneaker memories. Would a “True Blue” 3 with “Nike Air” on the heel have been preferable to most fans? Sure, and it’s likely only a matter of time until we get that. But in the meantime, it was a refreshing change of pace to see one of MJ’s actual on-court player exclusives hit retail. — Zac Dubasik
9. Air Jordan 1 'Next Chapter'
Release Date: 05/20/23
Price: $200
It seems like just about every hyped sneaker or collab that gets leaked these days comes with a set of initial images that everyone hates. The Air Jordan 1 “Next Chapter” is no exception. I, myself was ready to call these one of the worst sneakers that I had ever seen off of the first images that we saw. But, much like the Union Jordan 4s, the brand new Air Jordan 1 “Royal Reimagined” and tons more like them, the second Spider-Man-themed Jordan 1 started looking much better in more detail.
Inspired by the multiverse of the latest Spider-Man movie, this shoe comes with a plethora of glitchy details that play off of the animated movie's theme of jumping in and out of different realities. Both pairs of Spider-Man 1s now have built off of the traditional Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” color blocking, but add signature details to further both the comic book and Spider-Man stories. This version is meant to look like one of the most iconic sneakers of all time has been thrust through a number of multiverses, shifting patterns and textures along its journey. — Ben Felderstein
8. Union x Air Jordan 1 KO Low
Release Date: 02/02/23
Price: $150
Union’s AJKO Lows may lack the flash of its 2018 Air Jordan 1 High collabs, with their cobbled together OG colorways, but they do offer a simple and wearable look with just enough detail to know there’s something special going on. The AJKO project featured leather and canvas variations, each coming with interchangeable Swooshes in contrasting colors. The shoes were relatively well received, but lacked the hype of Union’s prior Air Jordan work. That means that with resale prices hovering right around retail (and in some cases even below), they’re a much more accessible entry point into Union’s Air Jordan collab catalog. It’s going to be an uphill battle for this sneaker to hold its spot on this list by the end of the year, however, thanks to another Union Air Jordan collab that’s garnering major interest. The woven Air Jordan 1, a three-way project with Bephie’s Beauty Supply, has been polarizing from the start, inspiring considerably more discussion since it leaked a few months back. — Zac Dubasik
7. Air Jordan 13 'Playoffs'
Release Date: 02/18/23
Price: $210
Often overshadowed by the "Bred" colorway, the "Playoffs" Air Jordan 13 is a sleeker, more versatile option with perhaps even more history behind it. Despite its nickname, this colorway is probably best remembered for being on Michael Jordan's feet during his showdown with Kobe Bryant in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. Jordan famously dueled with his young understudy en route to victory and MVP honors, a moment that was well documented on The Last Dance. However, the shoe also carries significant postseason history, as it was frequently worn by Jordan throughout his sixth championship run, making it one of the final Air Jordans he laced up as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
The "Playoffs" can still be had for retail or less at the moment; that's not a reflection of how good the shoes are, but rather the immense oversaturation that has cooled off the secondary market for Jordan retros. The next time SNKRS app leaves you empty-handed, consider revisiting this more accessible classic if you haven't already. — Brandon Richard
6. Air Jordan 1 Low 'Year of the Rabbit'
Release Date: 01/21/23
Price: $140
An unpopular opinion: I like Air Jordan 1 Lows more than Highs. It’s just something that I'd get more wear out of these days. Make the shoe in earth tones, and I’m sold even more. All this came together on the “Year of the Rabbit” version of the Air Jordan 1 Low that released at the top of the year in reference to the Chinese zodiac symbol.
There were only 5,000 pairs of these sneakers made, making them nearly impossible to track down, and their value on the secondary market reflects that. The white/brown/sail colorway is an easy win in today’s market. Remember when brown Jordans couldn’t sell? How have times changed. The laces are also a nod to the rabbit theme, as they’re white and fluffy. If there were more of these made, maybe they’d shoot higher up the list. — Matt Welty
5. Air Jordan 4 'Thunder'
Release Date: 05/13/23
Price: $210
It's hard to believe that ringtone era releases, such as the "Thunder" Air Jordan 4, are almost 20 years old. The limited edition colorway, like its yellow-based "Lightning" counterpart, originally dropped as an online exclusive with matching apparel for $500 in 2006, quickly making the pair coveted amongst those fortunate to obtain them and others who missed out. Since then, "Thunders" have re-released twice, the latest made available earlier this year.
Style-wise, the "Thunder" 4 is now more nostalgic than it is a shoe that aligns with current trends. It very much looks and feels like something that was released in the mid-2000s—and that's perfectly fine. The "Thunder 4" still holds up as a well-blocked, solid colorway that will always have an audience as one of the model’s earliest beloved non-OG releases. — Brandon Richard
4. Air Jordan 1 'White/Black'
Release Date: 02/15/23
Price: $200
Yes, Air Jordan 1s are still a thing. Maybe the shoes have cooled down a bit since their pandemic peak, when every colorway was lusted after and resold for a decent margin, but this is still an all-time great model and one worth paying attention to when the right colorways show up.
A simple white and black combination is, of course, the right colorway right now. One need look no further than the ubiquity of the “Panda” Dunk Low to understand how potent this simple blocking can be on a mid-'80s Nike silhouette. It would be easy to just chalk this sneaker up as another cash-in on that look, but it goes deeper than that.
Unlike the Dunk, the Jordan 1 actually had a black and white colorway during its original run, that equation aligning with the Bulls colors where no Nike college teams from the original “Be True” Dunk group made sense for a white and black shoe. There’s also the fact that this is the Air Jordan 1 85 rebuild, which has a higher collar and reshaped toe box that’s meant to look like the original. This sneaker is a clean reference to the dawn of the Air Jordan 1, a simple remake that does not succumb to bells and whistles. It may look like a “Panda” Air Jordan 1, but it’s so much more. — Brendan Dunne
3. Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low 'Olive'
Release Date: 04/26/23
Price: $150
Highly speculated to be the final version of the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low, the “Olive” colorway is a reminder of what Travis and Nike do best. Earthy tones and a reverse Swoosh are all that are really needed to make a Travis Scott collab a success. With five collaborative colorways already under their belt, this particular portion of the partnership seems to be ending at the perfect time—any more varieties and the market would start to look awfully bloated.
While the retail versions of the “Olives” have already dropped, we are now seeing friends and family pairs pop up with “Utopia” branding on their heels, building hype for Travis’ upcoming studio album. While this pair is billed as a women’s-exclusive release, it came in extended sizing, meaning that anyone who wanted a pair (and was able to actually cop them) could get their hands on them. It certainly did not reinvent the wheel by any means, but Travis and Nike have created a formula that continues to work time and time again. That formula certainly isn't broken, as proven by its continued popularity and high resale prices. — Ben Felderstein
2. Air Jordan 3 'Reimagined'
Release Date: 03/11/23
Price: $210
The Air Jordan 3 “White Cement” is one of those consensus sneakers that will always be alluring when it comes back out. As a shoe that’s over 30 years old, it’s far from the most exciting shoe on this list, but innovation is not always what we want from Jordan Brand. We want classics, retros done right, and twists on the expected where appropriate. Basically, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
This version of the Jordan 3 wasn’t quite broken—there were some decent retros in the past decent—but still needed a little bit of fixing. The last take on it, the “Free Throw Line” pair in 2018, honored the original well enough by using “Nike Air” branding on the back, but the clear outsoles were totally unnecessary.
Before that, the “‘88 Dunk Contest” Jordan 3 in 2013 was the last time we were treated to a really faithful retro of the shoe. Jordan Brand has a habit of bringing staples like these back just a bit too much, but in this case, with a decade separating this year’s pair and the last great one, the timing was right. The shoes were a little wrong in some instances (our condolences to anyone who had the elephant print go wonky on theirs) but this retro did almost everything right. — Brendan Dunne
1. Nike SB x Air Jordan 4
Release Date: 03/17/23
Price: $225
Jordan of the year or sneaker of the year? Why not both. The Nike SB x Air Jordan 4’s popularity was quite unexpected this year. The sneaker, first teased last year, was thought by some to be an all-black Air Jordan 4, reminiscent of the “Black Cats,” which was made for skating. SB riders such as Eric Koston and Paul Rodriguez were spotted in the sneakers, but they were just a weartest version of the shoe. Rodriguez even took the shoes through a strength training session.
Complex confirmed that the first version of the sneaker would be like the “Military Blue” Air Jordan 4, but in white and green, and not many people were excited. Joe La Puma was disappointed. But then the shoes came out, with their gum sole, and it all made sense. It was a much-needed break from the onslaught of Air Jordan 1s and in a colorway that delineated from expectations. It wasn’t what people were waiting on, but it’s what they needed.
There was madness around the release. Some skate shops weren’t equipped to handle a release of this magnitude. Nike restocked the shoes on SNKRS and only gave Exclusive Access to those who had bought non-Dunk Nike SBs in the past year from Nike. And that decision was controversial, too. Some didn’t like that Nike was snubbing non-skaters (cry me a river) and skaters didn’t like that it was not giving a chance to those who support their local skate shops instead of Nike. Despite that, people still love the shoe and it will be hard to dethrone it this year. — Matt Welty