Ask ten sneakerheads to name their favorite Air Jordan, and there’s a good chance you’ll get ten different answers. Some will pick the Jordan 1 because it’s where everything started. Others won’t look past the Jordan 11, especially if they grew up watching MJ during his second three-peat. Putting together a Top 10 Best Air Jordans of All Time list isn’t easy when you consider how many great colorways have come out over the years.

We’re keeping this one strictly to shoes that actually released to the public. That means no player exclusives or unreleased samples. Basketball history matters here, but so does the shoe itself and how much it meant to sneaker culture. There are a few obvious choices, along with some rankings people probably won’t agree with.

1. Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement”

Putting the “Black Cement” Jordan 3 at No. 1 might seem like the safe choice, but it’s hard to find another pair with this much going for it. Think about where Jordan Brand would be without the AJ3. Michael Jordan was considering leaving Nike before Tinker Hatfield showed him the design in 1988. We also got the Jumpman logo and elephant print for the first time. Then there’s the shoe itself. Black leather, grey elephant print, and just enough red to break things up. Almost 40 years later, it’s still hard to improve on the original.

2. Air Jordan 1 “Bred” / “Banned”

Would it really be that crazy to put the “Bred” Jordan 1 at No. 1? Not at all. This is the black and red combination that helped start the whole Air Jordan craze back in 1985. Nike’s famous “Banned” campaign also gave it a story that people still talk about, even though the actual shoe involved in the NBA uniform controversy was the Nike Air Ship. Plenty of Jordans have come out since, but very few have the same recognition as the original black and red AJ1.

3. Air Jordan 3 “White Cement”

The “White Cement” Jordan 3 could easily swap places with the “Black Cement,” depending on what you prefer. It’s also the shoe from one of the most famous photos in basketball history, with Jordan flying toward the basket during the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest. That image has followed the sneaker ever since. The white leather and elephant print are a big part of what makes the AJ3 so recognizable, and this is probably the pair most people picture when they think about that free-throw line dunk.

4. Air Jordan 11 “Bred”

If you watched the Bulls in 1996, you already know why the “Bred” Jordan 11 belongs near the top. Chicago had just put together a 72-win season, and MJ wore these during the championship run that followed. It’s hard to separate the shoe from that era. The black patent leather and red outsole also give it a completely different look from the “Concord,” which some people would probably rank higher. For this list, though, the championship history gives the “Bred” the edge.

5. Air Jordan 4 “White Cement”

There’s something about the “White Cement” Jordan 4 that makes it difficult to leave out of the top five. Maybe it’s the speckled grey details against the white leather, or the fact that the original design was already so good that later versions haven’t needed much changing. The shoe also had a memorable appearance in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing back in 1989. That movie helped introduce the Jordan 4 to an audience outside of basketball, and it’s been part of sneaker culture ever since.

6. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”

Some people are going to look at the “Concord” sitting at No. 6 and wonder why it isn’t higher. Fair argument. When Michael Jordan first wore these during the 1995 Playoffs, the patent leather made them look almost nothing like the basketball shoes people were used to seeing. The white upper, black patent leather, and icy outsole were a completely different combination at the time. You could make a strong case for this being the best Jordan 11 ever, even if the “Bred” takes the higher spot here.

7. Air Jordan 4 “Bred”

Remember “The Shot” against Cleveland? That alone gives the “Bred” Jordan 4 a pretty big place in NBA history. Jordan was wearing these when he hit the game-winner over Craig Ehlo during the 1989 Playoffs, one of those highlights that never seems to disappear. The black nubuck upper, grey details, and red accents are also hard to argue with. It might not be everyone’s favorite Jordan 4, but leaving it off an all-time list would be difficult.

8. Air Jordan 6 “Infrared”

The first championship is what most people remember about the “Black Infrared” Jordan 6. Jordan wore them in 1991 when Chicago finally got past the Lakers to win its first NBA title. That was the beginning of everything that followed for the Bulls. As for the shoe, the black nubuck and Infrared accents have always been a good combination. There isn’t a whole lot going on with the colors, and that’s probably why the original design still works so well.

9. Air Jordan 5 “Metallic”

The “Metallic” Jordan 5 doesn’t have a championship or a famous game-winning shot attached to it, but it doesn’t really need one. Tinker Hatfield gave the AJ5 some unusual details when it arrived in 1990, including a reflective tongue and shark teeth along the midsole. The black nubuck upper also gives it a different feel from the brighter Jordan 5 colorways. It’s probably one of the more underrated original Jordans when people start putting these lists together.

10. Air Jordan 12 “Flu Game”

It’s impossible to see the black and red Jordan 12 without thinking about Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. Jordan was clearly struggling with an illness that night against Utah, yet somehow managed to put up 38 points and help Chicago win. That performance is where the “Flu Game” nickname comes from. The shoe itself has a pretty straightforward black and red design, but that one night gave it a history very few sneakers can match.

The toughest part about putting together this list is deciding which pairs to leave out. The “Chicago” Jordan 1 has a legitimate case for the top 10, and so does the “Aqua” Jordan 8. You could move a few of these around or replace a couple altogether without making the list any less credible. With the original Air Jordans, there’s just too much history for everyone to agree on the same ten pairs.

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