Halfway through 2025, half of the projected Jordan Brand and other hype releases have made it out of the factory line, onto retailers’ shelves, and into your homes.

The Air Jordan 1 may be having its 40th anniversary parade, but familiar retros, fellow legends, are having their homecoming. TV and silver screen royalty such as the Air Jordan 5 “Black Metallic” (albeit Reimagined) and the Air Jordan 4 “White Cement”. A former country-exclusive finally gets its visa to go overseas. Lastly, can there be a list without a Travis Scott shoe? Nevertheless…

Without further ado, here’s a look at the best Jordan sneakers of 2025 so far:

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Originally a South Korean exclusive (only 700–800 pairs were made), the Air Jordan 3 “Seoul” was a special release in 2018 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1988 Summer Olympics and Michael Jordan’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest victory that same year, during which His Airness made the AJ3 “White Cement” iconic.

Cooked up in Nike’s Innovation Kitchen by Tinker Hatfield (who arguably is the “Michael Jordan of sneaker design”) and Dan Sunwoo (the seminal Swoosh shoesmith), the pair was the first Korea-specific Jordan shoe, adorned with motifs inspired by Korean culture and the Taegeukgi, South Korean flag.

The 2025 update builds on the original with refreshed colors, premium materials, and new design details:

The 2018 version featured the Taegukgi on the tongue, “서울” (“Seoul”) on the left inner tongue, and “화합과 전진” (“Harmony and Progress”) on the right inner tongue; while this year’s release showcases the Taegukgi on the left tongue and the Jumpman, the right. The inner tongues now display “꿈” (“Dream”) and “정” (“Affection”).

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Before Giancarlo Esposito “broke bad” as Gus Fring, he was Buggin Out (pun intended) in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing after someone “stepped on [his] brand new white Air Jordans.” A role that would immortalize the Air Jordan 4 “White Cement” in pop culture history.

First released the same year as the film, the “White Cement” 4s has experienced retro revivals in 1999, 2012, and 2016, each introducing updates to the design. In its fourth outing, this year’s iteration strives to return to the drawing board, aiming to replicate its 1989 blueprint more closely.

This release features the familiar Summit White/Fire Red-Tech Grey-Black colorway and Nike Air branding on the heel, “staying true to the OG specs”, as the OG themselves would love it.

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By the time Travis Scott received his first signature model, the Scott x Swoosh squad had already built considerable cultural cachet. Thus, the Jordan Jumpman Jack (AKA CJ1 T-Rexx) parallels a first overall pick in the NBA draft, coming into the league already with wind behind their sails.

Some prospects become stars, others fall short of expectations. For now, it may still be too early to tell the trajectory of the alliterative JJJ.

The “Bright Cactus” JJJ presents a notable departure from the typical, muted tones found in the Cactus Jack brand manual. Before its release on La Flame’s birthday, the pair was first seen on Travis Scott during his Coachella 2025 performance and WrestleMania 41, and on John Cena on Monday Night RAW the following evening.

Unfortunately, he was RKO’d, but lying on that mat, at least everyone saw the distinct “JACK” imprint on the outsole.

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With 2025 marking the 40th anniversary of the archetypal Air Jordan 1, its makers ensured the year started with a bang for the silhouette. Like bullet ballet, hits arrived one after another. Within a month, we saw the arrival of the titular “Black Toe,” the legendary “Bred,” and UNION’s “Chicago/Shadow”.

The Reimagined treatment of the “Black Toe” stands apart from its predecessors. Beyond its timeworn aesthetic, this release also employs obscure anecdotes from its history:

MJ used to write his name inside his shoes to avoid mix-ups in the locker room. The “Black Toe Reimagined” nods to this with a hand-written “My Very Own” note on the medial collar. Moreover, the collar also features an “AIR JORDAN” imprint instead of the usual Wings logo, referencing its early appearance during an iconic Michael Jordan photoshoot.

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This “Summit White/Navy” Nike SB x Air Jordan 4, released in March, succeeds its “Pine Green” predecessor, arguably 2023’s Sneaker of the Year. The blueprint stays the same as far as their make (read: Nike SB x Jordan 4: “Pine Green” vs “Navy”), and yet it’s the same reason that made this pair one of the most anticipated releases of 2025.

But if neither is your cup of tea, a “Varsity Red” colorway is brewing and is expected to arrive at the tail end of this year. Stay tuned!

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Another legend, Reimagined. The Air Jordan 1 may be at the forefront of people’s attention with its ongoing 40th anniversary parade, but the Air Jordan 5 still showed up to show off.

Regaled in “Black Metallic”, one of its hallmark colorways, this retrofitting stays distinct with white laces, nodding to how Michael Jordan wore them in the 1990 Playoffs. It introduces reflective piping for a contemporary touch, hitherto unseen in previous iterations. It also features a wider toe box, softer nubuck, increased speckling on the hallmark shark teeth, and refined branding details.

His Airness wasn’t the only pop culture royalty to wear the “Black Metallic.” Air Jordan shoes aren’t just tied to MJ; they’re also tied to The Fresh Prince—even without laces.

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Union LA and Jordan Brand began their partnership in 2018. In the seven years since, the two have built an enduring relationship, developed a shared taste, mutual understanding, and a signature style that blends their proclivities—like a proper… UNION.

It’s not the first time the duo has collaborated on the AJ1. The titular “Chicago/Shadow” was preceded by the “Union Los Angeles” pack and 2023’s “Summer ’96” collection. While the latter made bold incisions into the silhouette’s design, this year’s collaboration employs a more familiar MO, fusing the quintessential “Chicago” colorway with the fan-favorite “Shadow”.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Proving lightning can strike twice when fragment design joins the party for a tripartite AJ1 High collaboration.

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It would be a crime to exclude the legendary “Flu Game” 12s in the best Jordan releases of this year. You shouldn’t have to ask “What’s So Sick About the Air Jordan 12 ‘Flu Game’?”. The silhouette and colorway embody one of sports’ most incredible moments: Game 5, NBA Finals, 44 minutes, 38 points, seven rebounds, five assists—all while afflicted with severe “flu-like symptoms”.

So, whatever your opinion of its design and aesthetic, the narrative alone makes it a must-have in any collector’s wall of grails.

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Nigel Sylvester and the Jumpman are arguably sneaker culture’s most exciting duo in the status quo. They even made the Jordan 4 RM cool. And that’s in a space where purists are often dismissive about anything outside the AJ1 to AJ14 lineup. They’ve collaborated over the AJ, but expect the excitement to be exempt when another mainline model is in the pipeline.

Regardless of the cachet, the ideas and execution have been worthy of its adoration. The Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 “Brick By Brick” is inspired by the red-brick streets of Queens, New York, where Sylvester perfected his skills. It symbolizes the laying of stepping stones—“brick by brick”.

One of the most notable details of the shoe is the signature “Bike Air” emblem on the heel, a design change that Michael Jordan himself had to approve.

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The Adam, the archetype, the Michael Jordan of sneakers. Sui generis, ne plus ultra, nonpareil. All roads lead to the Air Jordan 1. The most famous shoe ever. No other shoe enjoys the reverence that the Air Jordan 1 High ’85 “Bred” does—a legend in the flesh (or rather, leather).

Starting Jordan Brand’s milestone year on an AJ1 High note, the pair arrived at the turn of the year, setting the tone for the celebration. Unfortunately, Jordan Brand released only 23,000 pairs worldwide to meet the demands of millions. Despite the adoration, the most disappointing part about its arrival this year is the manufactured hype.

Perhaps the right way to celebrate the brand’s genesis would be to let as many people own a tangible part of their history. Just. This. Once.

No love lost for the “Bred” ’85s, just some for its maker.

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There are plenty of coveted Air Jordan releases this year, and it is clearly impossible to squeeze them into a top-ten list, but below are at least two that deserve consideration.

Beyond this list, there are more Air Jordans to look forward to in the second half. While waiting for December’s list, consider browsing more of the latest and greatest Air Jordans in the SNKRDUNK App.

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