The Best Air Jordans of 2019 (So Far)
From the Travis Scott Air Jordan I to the "Bred" Air Jordan IV & "Infrared" Air Jordan IV, here are Complex's picks for the best Air Jordans of 2019 (so far).
Image via Complex Original
Just a year or two ago, people were wondering if Jordan Brand had lost its fastball. But like Michael Jordan himself was able return from his first retirement and win another threepeat with the Bulls, the brand that bears his name is now in the middle of another strong run. This first five months of 2019 have seen the company drop a slew of solid releases, including a few contenders for Sneaker of the Year. Travis Scott's Air Jordan Is? Very good. A true-to-form Retro of the "Black/Red" Air Jordan IVs? Also good—even if Jordan Brand making a video calling them "Breds" was pretty awful. (Sorry, Jinx.) There were also a handful of other Jordan 1 releases, and even a performance shoe, that caught a buzz. With that said, here are the best Air Jordans of 2019 (so far). —Matt Welty
10. Trophy Room x Air Jordan V
Marcus Jordan might not have been able to mimic his father's legacy on the hardwood, but the son of Michael Jordan has carved out a space in the sneaker world with his Orlando-based boutique, Trophy Room. Having crafted multiple Air Jordan collabs in the past, this year he delivered an Air Jordan V inspired by MJ's actual trophy room. An Ice Blue suede upper is a nod to Mike's UNC playing days, while red accents represent his legendary tenure with the Chicago Bulls. Additional details like a Trophy Room logo, cork insoles, and a gold "5"—Marcus' college jersey number—make this pair feel that much more personal. —Mike DeStefano
9. Nike SB x Air Jordan I High OG Defiant "LA to Chicago"
Back in 2014, Jordan Brand and Nike SB joined forces for two pairs of "Lance Mountain" Air Jordan Is that featured rub-away paint jobs. The topmost layer was intended to wear away over time to reveal a secondary color scheme underneath. The fan-favorite treatment returned in 2019 with a two-pack to celebrate some of most important cities in skateboarding. While the "New York to Paris" colorway also garnered interest, the much more limited "Los Angeles to Chicago" option, which started off drenched in Lakers purple and gold and could be converted to a look mimicking the OG "Chicago" Air Jordan I, was the best of the bunch. —Mike DeStefano
8. Aleali May x Air Jordan VI "Millennial Pink"
Aleali May's Jordan collaborations began in 2017 with an Air Jordan I inspired by the sneaker's OG "Shadow" colorway, but it was this year that her work with the brand really began to pick up steam. In less than six calendar months, May has dropped yet another Air Jordan I, along with her own "Millennial Pink" Air Jordan VI. The latter, which played on the sneaker's OG "Infrared" colorway, was one of many women's sneakers that guys found themselves vying to get their hands on in 2019. —Riley Jones
7. Air Jordan I High OG "Turbo Green"
With side panel branding reminiscent of the text found on Virgil Abloh's Off-White collaborations and pre-distressed, vintage-like details that could be compared to Union's Air Jordan Is, the "Turbo Green" colorway offered a chance to nail some of the trendiest looks of the moment without breaking the bank. The sneaker's resale price is still relatively low, with most pairs hovering under $200, so now might be the perfect time to jump on them for anyone who missed out. —Riley Jones
6. Air Jordan I High OG "Blue Chill"
Serving as yet another homage to Michael Jordan's National Championship-winning days at the University of North Carolina, this patent-leather-equipped Jordan 1 was the clear hero from 2019's All-Star Weekend festivities in Charlotte. The fact that it was a women's exclusive colorway with limited availability in larger men's sizes only adds to this sneaker's hype. Its aforementioned patent leather shine brought a whole new look to this familiar Tar Heel aesthetic, giving the "Blue Chill" Jordan 1 a well-deserved spot on this list. —Ben Felderstein
5. Air Jordan VI Doernbecher
Despite the vast array of collaborations flooding the market on a weekly basis, few are more meaningful than Nike's annual Doernbecher Freestyle collection, which allows patients at the OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland to create their own sneakers. One of the most popular was Jordan Dark's Air Jordan VI from 2009. Rather unexpectedly, Nike brought the pair back to celebrate the program's 15th anniversary earlier this year—much to the chagrin of some collectors. They also made sure that the proceeds from the official reissue would be donated to the hospital like initially intended, instead of the wallet of some reseller flipping pairs from a decade ago on the secondary market. —Mike DeStefano
4. Jordan Why Not Zer0.2
Before the Why Not Zer0.2, the idea of Russell Westbrook's signature shoe landing on this list felt farfetched, to say the least. More often than not, Jordan Brand's performance shoes are justifiably overlooked in the lifestyle space, but that wasn't the case with the Why Not Zer0.2. For this model, Jordan Brand tapped PE designer Kelsey Amy to tell stories through imaginative colorways that pulled from inspirations including, but not limited to, Pokémon, Rugrats, and even Super Soakers. —Riley Jones
3. Air Jordan VI "Infrared"
1991's "Black/Infrared" Air Jordan VI has returned plenty of times over the years, but for purists, it was never quite right. The first retro in 2000 lacked the original's reflective detailing, while 2010's edition featured Varsity Red rather than Infrared. A second 2010 variation got the Infrared right, but used a Jumpman logo on the heel in lieu of "Nike Air" and had no 3M. 2014's version brought back the reflective layer—albeit too much—and still utilized the Jumpman heel branding. And that brings us to 2019's, which finally had the right color, the right logo, and the right amount of 3M. It was the version of MJ's first NBA Championship shoe that collectors had been asking for all along. —Zac Dubasik
2. Air Jordan IV "Bred"
For the first time since 1999, Jordan Brand reissued the "Bred" Air Jordan IV with all of its original branding intact. The sneaker was made famous on the court largely by Michael Jordan's unforgettable shot over Craig Ehlo in 1989, and it's since attained GOAT-tier status next to shoes like the "Black/Cement" Jordan III. After a couple of close-but-no-cigar reissues in 2008 (as part of a two-sneaker Countdown Pack) and again in 2012, 2019's “Bred” Air Jordan IV release finally did the colorway justice. —Riley Jones
1. Travis Scott x Air Jordan I
Travis Scott's Air Jordan I collaboration was the perfect storm. The Houston-based rapper was coming off of his biggest album to date, and his North American Wish You Were Here tour in support of said ASTROWORLD album made waves for turning arenas across the nation into amusement parks. Take that, throw in one of the world's most popular sneakers in the Air Jordan I, reverse the Swoosh in a never-before-seen manner, add some Cactus Jack branding, and we have a serious contender for the best sneaker of the entire year, let alone just the first six months. —Ben Felderstein