Nike’s catalog is filled with an extremely diverse spectrum of footwear options that satisfy a wide range of needs. This collection includes shoes that were carefully designed to enhance athletic performance and shoes that were meant to be purely aesthetic.

According to Zippa.com, Nike’s annual revenue for 2021 was $44.5 billion, with 10% of its sales being generated by the Jordan brand. Simply put, everyone loves Nike shoes.

In this article, we will break down the top 5 Nike shoes of all time, diving deep into their rich history, importance, and impact on the legacy of Nike as a whole. We’ll take you on a journey through history and style, showcasing the evolution of these classic sneakers and their role in shaping pop culture.

 

5. Nike Zoom Kobe 6

Release Year: 2010

The Nike Zoom Kobe 6 is the most popular sneaker in the Nike X Kobe catalog and is also the most worn basketball shoe on the court. Many NBA superstars wore the Kobe 6s religiously, including Devin Booker and Domantas Sabonis; however, the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 was not the first low-top basketball sneaker.

The idea of a low “top” basketball sneaker started with Gilbert Arenas’ Adidas Gil Zero in 2006, the idea of which was popularized by the Nike Zoom Kobe 4 (ShoePalace). This concept was later improved upon and refined when the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 was released in the later months of 2010.

The Nike Zoom Kobe 6 was designed by Eric Avar and was made with many of the features that made its previous versions so popular (enhanced stability and responsiveness). The Nike Zoom Kobe 6 enhanced these added features by introducing a Flywire-based snakeskin upper, incorporating external heel counters, using a flexible foam-based insole designed to adapt to the wearer’s foot, and a sticker traction pattern (ShoePalace). The Kobe 6 also has a snakeskin textured upper, which is reminiscent of Kobe Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality.”

The most popular colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 is the “grinches.” The colorway first debuted on Christmas Day 2011. This colorway was initially nicknamed “Green Mamba,” and the name and design were both based on Kobe’s nickname. The shoe featured green scales and a red logo on the tongue. The green and red colors of the shoe gave it a Christmas look, leading fans to nickname the shoe after the iconic Grinch.

4. Nike “Dunks” (Low/High Top)

Release Year: 1985

The Nike Dunk has become a staple in sneaker culture over the past four decades due to its massive influence on skateboarding and college basketball. The Nike Dunk High was originally designed by Peter C. Moore, and was intended to be an alternative to Michael Jordan’s signature shoe. The name “Dunk” came from the fact that at the time of release, it was the 40th anniversary of the first slam dunk in the NBA, which caused the shoe to be renamed at the last minute.

The Nike Dunk was created specifically for the NCAA. The Nike Dunk became an instant hit due to its university-inspired colorways, which was a part of Nike’s “Be True to Your School” marketing strategy. This gave college basketball teams and their fans a way to wear their team’s respective colors. It was initially released with seven colorways, each designed specifically for a major college/university. These colleges include the University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, Georgetown, St. John’s, UNLV, and Syracuse. However, the release of the Nike Dunks was overshadowed by the release of Michael Jordan’s signature shoe, the Jordan 1.

Toward the end of the 1990s, skateboarders started using the Low Dunks as they were cheap, accessible, and offered the cushioning and traction that skateboarders needed. They were also easy to style with any outfit, which was a big perk for the sneaker and skateboarding community. Due to the growing popularity of the Nike Dunks in the skateboarding community, in 2002, Nike launched “Nike SB,” which was intended to create a Nike Dunk that was specifically designed for skateboarding. The Nike SBs were extremely popular within the skateboarding community and still see wear today.

The most popular colorway of the Nike Dunks is the Nike Dunk Low Pandas (StockX). The Pandas were released in 2021 for a retail price of $110; however, due to the popularity and demand, sneaker resellers sell the pandas for an egregious price of $330. The Pandas are popular due to their black-and-white color scheme, which matches almost any outfit while still being able to stand out. The Pandas are also a relatively simple shoe, which makes it an easy pick-up for people new to the sneaker community. 

Saint Paul’s sophomore Luca Rodas believes that the Nike Dunks should be at the number one spot. “The Nike dunks are the best sneakers because of their history and simple design.”

3. Air Jordan IV

Release Year: 1989

The Air Jordan IV was released in February of 1989 with a price tag of  $110. It was designed by Tinker Hatfield, the same man behind the creation of the Air Jordan III. While designing the Jordan IV, Hatfield was active in involving Jordan in the designing of the shoe, even allowing his input. The Jordan IV had a rubber sole, which was intended to boost Jordan’s signature bounce. The Jordan IV was originally released with four colorways: Black/Cement Grey, White/Black, White/Fire Red, and White/Military Blue. The Jordan IV featured the Jumpman logo on the tongue, an air unit placed on the heel, and the Nike logo on the heel tag.

The biggest difference between The Jordan IV and other models was the addition of a layer of urethane-coated mesh netting, which was added for increased breathability. The Jordan IV also included two lace holes on each side, which allowed players to customize the lace placement for optimal comfort while playing. While designing the Jordan IV, Hatfield introduced a new form of synthetic performance fabric, called Durabuck. Durabuck was the ideal fabric for performance sneakers because it was lightweight and more durable than most materials.

Ten years after the initial release of the Jordan IV, Jordan Brand started releasing “retros” of the Jordan IV (Retros are shoes released years later with different shoe-making technology and materials). Initially, the original colorways were re-released, which was followed by the re-release of many other colorways during 2004-2008. The Jordan IV quickly grew a massive following due to its numerous colorways and unique materials, which made it stand out compared to other Jordans that had been released at that time. 

While Jordan’s collaborations with popular brands such as Off-White, Union, Supreme, and others are popular today, they were unheard of in the early 2000s. The Jordan IV was the first Jordan Brand sneaker to include an outside collaboration. In 2005, The sneaker store Undefeated developed its version of the Jordan IV which was inspired by the materials of a jean jacket.

The Undefeated x Air Jordan IV remains one of the rarest sneakers ever created because only 72 pairs were produced and sold.

2. Air Jordan 3

Release Year: 1988

The Air Jordan III was released in 1988, with a retail price of $100. It was designed by Tinker Hatfield after Peter Moore (the designer of the first two Jordan models) left to start his brand in 1987. Peter Moore leaving Nike massively slowed down the production of the Jordan III, during a time when Michael Jordan’s contract was up for renewal. Tinker Hatfield wanted to design the shoe based on what players wanted. To achieve this, Hatfield asked Jordan what he was looking for in a sneaker. Jordan requested that the shoe be mid-cut, durable, and comfortable with soft leather. After MJ wore the Jordan III in his 1988-1989 season, he fell in love with the shoe’s performance and renewed his contract with Nike. If Jordan didn’t renew his contract with Nike, then the Jordan Brand would not be what it is today.

The Jordan III was designed with an exposed air unit, a self-lacing system, and a chunkier appearance. It also got rid of the large Swoosh on the side and instead placed the Nike Air logo on the heel of the shoe. The Air Jordan III was also the first in the Jordan line to include the infamous Jumpman logo on the tongue. The most iconic feature of the Air Jordan III was its gray elephant skin print.

The original colorways that were released in 1988 were “Black Cement”, “Fire Red”, “True Blue”, and “White Cement”.

MJ wore the “Black Cement” colorway during the 1987-1988 season, the same season that he won the MVP award. The “Fire Red” colorway was made famous by MJ’s famous dunk over Patrick Ewing during the 1988-1990 NBA playoffs.

1. Air Jordan 1

Release Year: 1985 

The Air Jordan 1 is the most influential basketball sneaker of all time.

The Air Jordan 1s were designed by Peter Moore. They were created for Michael Jordan shortly after he left the University of North Carolina and joined the Chicago Bulls. The Air Jordan 1 was released on April 1, 1985, and sold for $64.99. Nike expected to sell a little over 100,000 pairs in its first year, but surprisingly it sold over 1.5 million pairs in the first six weeks, per ShoePalace. Peter Moore used Michael’s input when designing the shoe. Jordan suggested something low so he could feel the court better. The Air Jordan 1 also came with an air unit in the sole to reduce impact with the court.

The Air Jordan 1 was designed to stand out compared to other signature shoes, as most shoes in the NBA were white or black. The original Jordan 1 was red, black, and white. The colors were meant to symbolize the Chicago Bulls; however, Jordan wasn’t supportive of the color choice and argued for the color choice of blue and white, which represented his UNC college uniform. 

After Jordan wore the Jordan 1s in his debut game, the NBA sent Nike a letter, which said that the Jordan 1s were violating the NBA’s dress code, which required sneakers to be 51% white.

The NBA fined MJ $5,000 every time he wore the Jordan 1s in a game; nevertheless, Nike paid the fines every time, according to ShoePalace.com.

By the late ’90s, street culture evolved to embrace retro styles. With classic clothes and shoes being all the rage, Nike capitalized on this by releasing retro styles of the Jordan. Designer brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Virgil made the Jordan 1 a high-fashion item.

Saint Paul’s Sophomore Andrew Dunne considers this his favorite shoe. “I think the Jordan I is definitely the best sneaker of all time. It’s influence and overall appearance out class every other sneaker out there.”

In summary, the Air Jordan 1 is the most influential basketball sneaker of all time and has played a pivotal role in the evolution of fashion as a whole.