The NBA is the place for all the epic court-worn, championship-winning Michael Jordan sneakers. It is the place for the most savage, most EXPENSIVE sneakers of the entire basketball history! And, we’re here to mention all our favorites! From the very start of Michael Jordan’s career in 1984, all the way to his final retirement! Find out more!
MICHAEL JORDAN SNEAKERS
1984-1985
Air Jordan 1 – Rookie Season
The 615 THOUSAND dollars Michael Jordan sneakers were his first on-court Jordan ever! It’s not really surprising that he’d wear his very first Jordan collab during his first NBA season. He was a 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, a 10-time scoring champion, a 5-time NBA MVP, and a six-time NBA Finals champion! And it was the beginning of Jordan’s history!
He also won the 1984-1985 NBA Rookie of the Year award. He scored an average of 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 82 games that season.
1986-1987
Air Jordan 2 – What if?
Right before the halftime of October 29th, 1985; MJ heard a CRACK! It was the sound that will leave him in a cast for six weeks! He will miss from 22 to 25 games. Jordan fractured his navicular tarsal bone at Golden State.
Jordan returned and led Chicago to the playoffs against the Boston Celtics and set a playoff record with 63 points! The Michael Jordan sneakers of the season – AJ2 – helped him score a league record of 23 points in a row.
1987 – 1988
Air Jordan 3
By 1988, the Michael Jordan sneakers became an integral part of the sneaker industry. And, during the Slam Dunk Contest, it was the Air Jordan 3 White Cement that propelled through the air! He took off from the free-throw line, soaring through the air, scoring his slam dunk! It was an unforgettable moment in history!
1989 – 1990
Air Jordan 4
These were the Michael Jordan sneakers that helped him close the season in the most epic way ever! With only 6 seconds left on the clock against Cleveland, MJ shoots “The Shot”. They were down by one and with absolutely no time to spare! The Air Jordan 4 came through!
Two dribbles double pumped, and sank a mid-range jumper from the foul line with hands outstretched! It was the Jordan 4 Black Cement that helped propel the Bulls to the next round of the playoffs!
1990 – 1991
Air Jordan 5
Another one of the Michael Jordan sneakers debuted during the 1990 All-Star Game – the Air Jordan 5. He lost the minutes title to Chris Mullin but still managed to lead the league and win!
This was before his very first championship in a 5-game series against the Lakers!
1991 – 1992
Air Jordan 6 – Championship Ring I
It was finally the time for MJ to win his very first NBA Championship! And what better Michael Jordan sneaker to do that other than the Air Jordan 6! He clawed his way to the Finals and squared off against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers! It was in this game where Jordan served a left-hand switch in mid-air with a left-handed layup! His Air Jordan 6 propelled him through the air to the basket to finally win the game!
1991 – 1992
Air Jordan 7 – Championship Ring II
The Air Jordan 7 is one of the Michael Jordan sneakers that put him on the MAP. We’re talking about being an international icon all across the globe! It also takes us back to one of the most iconic moments in history. After draining his 6th 4-pointer over Clifford Robinson, and Clyde Drexler, Jordan did the infamous shrug. Even he seemed to be in disbelief! It is one of the most-referenced moments in history. He was wearing the Air Jordan 7s in Black Red.
He won his second championship and cemented his reputation as the GOAT of the NBA!
1992 – 1993
Air Jordan 8 – Championship Ring III
Another Michael Jordan sneakers that made MJ even more of an untouchable NBA icon! The Chicago Bulls became the third NBA team in history to win three championship titles in a row! And, even more, Michael Jordan was the first player ever to win Finals MVP in each of the three titles! And so, it was only fitting that MJ won his third championship wearing the black and red Air Jordan 8 – the Playoffs!
1993 – 1994
Retirement I
Being the GOAT for three consecutive years can really take its toll! And so, MJ decided to take a hiatus from the NBA and try his hand at the baseball diamond instead. He played a single season in the minor leagues.
1994 – 1995
Air Jordan 10 – Double Nickel
MJ returned to the game during the 1994-1995 season just in time to play with the new Michael Jordan sneakers! In his fifth game back from retirement, MJ scored 55 points against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He was wearing the number 45 jersey and the Air Jordan 10 – the Double Nickel game.
1995 – 1996
Air Jordan 11 – Championship Ring IV
When Nike presented the Air Jordan 11 to MJ, his excitement could not stop him from lacing them right on. Even without the Swoosh’s approval, these were the Michael Jordan sneakers of the 1995-1996 season! They were also the sneakers that got him his 4th NBA championship ring! Another Chicago Bulls legend! He wore the Concords during the regular season. However, during the finals against the Seattle Supersonics, MJ wore the Bred colorway. This was to keep up with the black and red winning ritual!
And, we can’t forget about its big movie moment! Although this game technically did not take place in our reality, it sure left a real impact! In the movie Space Jam, Jordan and the Looney Tunes took on the Monstars from Moron Mountain. And, of course, the starring Michael Jordan sneakers were the Air Jordan 11 in black patent leather!
1996 – 1997
Air Jordan 12 – Championship Ring V
Next up on the list of Michael Jordan sneakers, we’ve got the Air Jordan 12. During Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, these shoes made literal history! It was during the game where Jordan showed up to the arena in Salt Lake City with flu-like symptoms! But, that was not going to stop him! He went on to score 38 points – including a three-pointer with less than a minute on the clock. This went down in history as “The Flu Game”! The Jordan resale for a value of 104.76 THOUSAND dollars!
With a temperature of 103, we couldn’t have left the bed! But, it was in the Air Jordan 12 Taxi colorway that Jordan won the championship title of the year! We can’t cop the Taxi, but we can cop the next best thing – Air Jordan 12 Royalty. Check it out here!
1997 – 1998
Air Jordan 13 & 14 Prototype
The 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz started with the Air Jordan 13. But, in Game 3, the Michael Jordan sneakers of the season were the Air Jordan 14 Prototype. Jordan wasn’t supposed to wear it, but he liked it so much he did it anyway! The release of the prototype wasn’t for another 9 months! The final game – AKA the “The Last Shot” – is one of the most iconic games to date!
1999 – 2001
Retirement II
Sometimes, you just need a break. And we completely get it! Even the GOAT Michael Jordan had to step back from the NBA once again! He said he had lost his drive and desire and needed more time with his family. And, he said, he was 99.9% sure he would not come back to the NBA! But, the line of Michael Jordan sneakers did not stop there!
2001-2002
Air Jordan 17
However, after his retirement, MJ became part-owner and president of basketball operations of the Washington Wizards. He then decided to rebuild the team and hire the former Bulls coach Doug Collins. But, the temptation was too strong! Soon enough, 38-year old Jordan came out of retirement as a free agent. He scored his 30,000th career point against the Bulls in special Michael Jordan sneakers: the Air Jordan 17 Magician!
2002-2003
Retirement III (Final)
After his final play, Michael Jordan retired for the third and last time.
BONUS SNEAKER
To finish off our list of the best NBA on-court Michael Jordan sneakers, we’ve got a bonus sneaker. A sneaker you probably don’t remember, and don’t want to remember much! The Air Jordan FBI – a team shoe from 2003! This was around the time he was playing with the Washington Wizards. To say the least, the kicks are ugly. Period.