Sports
Air Jordan power rankings: Which shoe is tops as the brand celebrates 40 years?
The fun part about ranking the best Air Jordan signature shoe of all time is there is no right or wrong list.
But who am I kidding? Plenty of people will have something to say.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Air Jordan signature shoe. The 40th edition of the shoe is expected to be released later this year.
The Jordan Brand has grown beyond just a basketball shoe. It has its own signature athletes, including current NBA stars Luka Dončić and Jayson Tatum. The brand has crossed over into multiple sports and become a fashion staple.
Does a suit appear dressed down if it’s matched with a fresh pair of Jordans? Thirty years ago, maybe. Not anymore.
Travis Kelce wears a custom Thom Browne suit, including a Camel Hair Engineered 4-Bar Classic Sport Coat (sold out) with a 4-Bar Striped Docker Hat (sold out) and Nike Air Jordan 3 Retro Sneakers arriving at Arrowhead Stadium pic.twitter.com/IfQTOYNh6D
— Style by Kelce (@StyleByKelce) January 26, 2025
I tend to favor the shoes Jordan wore during his career, but that doesn’t dismiss all the versions that have been released since 1985. I’ve also worn plenty of of his shoes that weren’t a part of his playing career.
With that said, as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Air Jordan, here are my top 10 iterations, working from the bottom to my all-time favorite:
Spike Lee helped introduce the world to this shoe as Mars Blackmon in the Nike commercials. It also received love on prime time television weekly as the shoe Will Smith wore for the intro scene for the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Legendary shoe designer Tinker Hatfield, who designed the iterations from the Jordan 3 to the Jordan 15, was inspired by a World War II fighter plane, using the plane’s shark-tooth design to create a similar design for the shoe’s midsoles.
The 1992 Barcelona Olympics shoe! The Dream Team edition! This is the shoe Jordan wore to help lead Team USA to an easy run through Olympic competition, capped with a convincing gold-medal win over Croatia.
The 1992 men’s basketball Olympic gold-medal game saw Jordan, wearing his Jordan 7 shoes, against Croatia guard Drazen Petrovic. (Richard Mackson / USA Today)
This shoe also didn’t feature Nike or the Swoosh on the exterior of the shoe. It did feature the Jumpman logo. This was definitely a “Jordan” shoe.
It’s also the shoe Jordan wore when he appeared in the “Jam” music video — and got some dance lessons from Michael Jackson.
This version was unlike any other to this point in multiple ways. The crisscrossed straps and velcro gave the shoe a different look. The paint-style design on the side was nice, and the chenille Jordan logo on the tongue was a bold change.
Jordan won his third championship in this shoe, beating the Phoenix Suns and Charles Barkley — whose Air Max shoe from that 1992-93 season also is one of the better shoes of the era.
7. Jordan 1
The OG of the line has aged gracefully. It’s simple, but in 1985, there was nothing quite like it on the market.
No sneaker collection is complete without a pair, given its simplicity and versatility. Wearing a suit? Jeans and a blazer? Sweatsuit? These shoes work with everything.
This was designed to celebrate Jordan’s career, as it was released during the 1994-95 season (Jordan returned to the NBA after a stint in baseball on March 1995). The sole of each shoe has 10 separate accomplishments from Jordan’s career.
The style feels like an intentional precursor to the Jordan 11, even if it’s not. Meanwhile, Jordan returned following a brief retirement on March 18 and scored 55 against the New York Knicks 10 days later wearing the shoe.
5. Jordan 13
The shoe was released and worn during Jordan’s final season. The hologram on the ankle was done to resemble the eye of a panther and was a unique addition to the line.
The outsole is meant to resemble a panther’s paw. Jordan making his final shot as a Bull in this shoe adds to its significance.
This style gave us the renowned “flu game” shoe. What many don’t know was that the shoe drew inspiration from the Japanese flag.
It’s also a shoe that led to some nice player-edition models. Gary Payton wore wore versions of these with the Lakers that were popular with those who didn’t want a pair with the classic colorway.
This shoe was a big part of 1989. Bulls fans will remember (and Cleveland Cavaliers fans choose to forget) Jordan hitting “The Shot” in these shoes on May 7, 1989.
The shoe also brings back nostalgia from Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing.” It was the shoe that Buggin’ Out (played by Giancarlo Esposito) wore when they were scuffed a brownstone tenant wearing a Larry Bird jersey named Clifton (played by John Savage), who had recently moved to Brooklyn.
This shoe was the second designed by Hatfield. It was also the first of the signature line that was globally released.
2. Jordan 3
This was the first shoe designed by Hatfield. This also is the shoe Jordan used to edge Dominique Wilkins in the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest in Chicago, a contest that produced multiple highlights and several future wall posters.
The shoe also elevated the game in terms of marketing. The Jumpman logo first appeared on the Jordan 3 in 1988. The elephant print on the shoe is still a topic of discussion among sneakerheads. Jordan once said the Jordan 3 shoe is his second favorite.
His favorite, as is mine?
If there is a Mount Rushmore of sneakers, this shoe is on it.
What’s the best Air Jordan 11 to drop in the last four years? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gSYyM0blr7
— House of Heat° (@houseofheat) April 3, 2025
The Concord, a version with a white base featuring black patent leather, is one of the most iconic shoes ever. Jordan wore this shoe during the Bulls’ historic 72-10 regular season that culminated with the 1996 NBA Championship.
There’s also the Space Jam version of the shoe Jordan wore in the “Space Jam” movie. That shoe is all black with accents of blue, just as revered as the Concord. The Cool Grey also is a very popular colorway with sneakerheads.
Both are fancy enough to wear with a suit or even a tuxedo, which many people have done since their release. There really isn’t a colorway of the Jordan 11 that isn’t a must have.
(Top photo: Matt Jelonek / Getty Images)
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The highly anticipated 30th WNBA season tipped off Friday with three games, including the expansion Toronto Tempo’s first-ever contest.
The action continued Saturday with a full slate, including Caitlin Clark’s return after an injury-riddled sophomore season.
Clark and the Indiana Fever hosted the Dallas Wings on Saturday afternoon in a matchup featuring the four most recent No. 1 overall picks. The Wings outlasted the Fever 107-104, but the game was defined by Azzi Fudd’s — the most recent top pick — underwhelming debut.
Dallas Wings guards Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers react during the first half of the Fever’s season opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on May 9, 2026. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Fudd played 18 minutes off the bench, scoring three points — the lowest ever by a No. 1 overall pick in a WNBA debut.
Wings coach Jose Fernandez addressed Fudd’s performance after the game, encouraging the rookie to, “Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league. We got five really talented backcourt players.”
EX-WNBA STAR CRITICAL OF SKY ROOKIE HAILEY VAN LITH, BELIEVES POPULARITY PLAYED ROLE IN DRAFT SELECTION
In addition to Fudd, Dallas’ backcourt features last year’s top draft pick Paige Bueckers, last season’s No. 12 overall pick Aziaha James, four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale and starting guard Odyssey Sims.
Until Saturday, Kelsey Plum held the record for the lowest-scoring debut by a No. 1 pick. Selected first overall by the then-San Antonio Stars in 2017, she scored just four points in her debut. The Stars relocated to Las Vegas in 2018 and was subsequently rebranded as the Aces.
Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd warms up before the game against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 9, 2026. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Despite the slow start to her first season in the league, Plum ended the year with All-Rookie team honors. In the years since, she’s been named to four All-Star teams and won two championships with the Aces.
The Wings’ decision to take Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick drew controversy, raising questions about whether Bueckers’ personal relationship with her influenced the selection. Late last month, Bueckers said last month it did not.
Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed in New York City on April 13, 2026. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)
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“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it, and it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, who she is as a basketball player,” Bueckers said, according to ESPN.
Neither Bueckers nor Fudd has publicly updated their relationship status since the April draft.
“Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own,” Bueckers also said in April. “And what we choose to share is completely up to us.”
Next up, the Wings play their home opener on Tuesday when they host the Atlanta Dream.
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The Lakers are one playoff defeat from their season being over and from the conversation turning to LeBron James’ future.
They are in a hole no team has climbed out of in the history of the NBA, the Lakers’ 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 putting L.A. down 3-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
James and his teammates gave a gallant effort Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, but the defending champion proved to be more than the Lakers could handle.
James finished his night with 19 points on seven-for-19 shooting, eight assists and six rebounds. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and Austin Reaves finished with 17 points and nine assists.
Even so, the Lakers have now lost all three games by double digits.
And the Lakers are fully aware that no NBA team has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, with those teams holding a 161-0 record. Only four teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0, all of which ultimately lost the series, including the Boston Celtics in 2023.
Lakers forward LeBron James shows frustration as Thunder center Chet Holmgren slam dunks during Game 3 on Saturday night.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Game 4 is Monday night, when the Lakers will try to stave off elimination and a night that will determine how the conversations go with James if they lose.
James has been frequently asked this season about retirement, but he has not given any indication of what the future holds for him.
He’s 41 years old and playing in an NBA-record 23rd season.
James is in the final year of his contract that pays him $52 million, making him a free agent this offseason. He can retire, join another team or perhaps return to the Lakers next season.
That will be the conversation if the Lakers can’t win Game 4.
They will see the same Thunder team that had seven players score in double figures, led by Ajay Mitchell’s 24 points and 10 assists and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 23 points and nine assists.
The Lakers went down 13 in the third quarter and had to play catchup the rest of the way. They never did, going down by 112-94 with 6 minutes and 12 seconds left, forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to call a timeout.
The deficit just kept growing, topping out at 27 points in the fourth.
They were outscored 33-20 in the third quarter. The Lakers didn’t take care of the basketball in the third, turning it over six times, and they didn’t play good defense, allowing the Thunder to shoot 59.1% from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range,
The Lakers did not give an inch to the Thunder in the first half, even when they fell behind by 10 points.
They just kept grinding until they led 59-57 at halftime.
Hachimura had 16 points in the first half, continuing his hot three-point shooting by making all four of his threes. Luke Kennard came off the bench to give the Lakers 13 points, shooting five for six from the field and three for four from three-point range.
The Lakers kept the pressure defense on Gilgeous-Alexander. Though he had 14 points in the first half, he shot only four for 14 from the field and one for five from three-point range.
The Lakers shot 55% from three-point range in the first half, which went a long way in helping them.
The Lakers lost the first two games by identical margins of 18 points and each loss was magnified because Gilgeous-Alexander was kept under wraps for the most part by L.A.’s defense.
When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul with 10:34 left in the third quarter of Game 2 and went to the bench, the Thunder turned a five-point lead into a 13-point advantage at the end of the quarter.
So, when he wasn’t on the court, the Lakers failed to take advantage.
“Well, you know, again, I’ll repeat what I said after the game: we’ve got to be better in the non-Shai minutes,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Role players like Mitchell and Jared McCain hurt the Lakers in the second game. Chet Holmgren also was hard to deal with.
“Mitchell and McCain have hurt us in those non-Shai minutes, and then Chet [Holmgren] has hurt us the whole game,” Redick said. “I think you’ve got to be willing to live with something. Shai playing one-on-one, thus far in the series, we haven’t been willing to live with, so you’re going to be in rotation. That can lead to smalls on bigs at the hole, and the offensive rebounding from Chet has really hurt us.”
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In 2025, Alex Palou kicked off the Month of May with a Sonsio Grand Prix win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
Based on the odds, it’s likely that Palou will find himself in Winner’s Circle again this Saturday when INDYCAR goes back to IMS on May 9 (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
Considering Palou has already captured the checkered flag three times this season, are there any other drivers whose odds are worth a wager?
Here are the latest lines at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 9.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Sonsio Grand Prix 2026
Àlex Palou: 5/18 (bet $10 to win $12.78 total)
Kyle Kirkwood: 5/1 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Pato O’Ward: 12/1 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
David Malukas: 14/1 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Josef Newgarden: 16/1 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Scott McLaughlin: 20/1 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Christian Lundgaard: 30/1 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Scott Dixon: 40/1 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Will Power: 60/1 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Felix Rosenqvist: 80/1 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Alexander Rossi: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Marcus Ericsson: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Marcus Armstrong: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Christian Rasmussen: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Graham Rahal: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Louis Foster: 300/1 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Dennis Hauger: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Romain Grosjean: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Santino Ferrucci: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Rinus Veekay: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Kyffin Simpson: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Caio Collet: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Sting Ray Robb: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Nolan Siegel: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Mick Schumacher: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Here’s what to know about the oddsboard:
Heavy Favorite: It doesn’t look like Alex Palou’s dominance will be slowing down anytime soon. As noted above, he’s already won three of the five races since the INDYCAR season started in March. With 186 laps led, Palou sits first in the standings and has the shortest odds to win the title again. Last season, he started from the pole and led 29 laps before winning the race.
Long Shot to Watch: While his odds of 150/1 to win at IMS are much longer than Palou’s, Graham Rahal is one to watch. At this race in 2025, he started second and led 49 laps before finishing sixth. He finished second at this course in 2015, 2020 and 2023. He’s currently 10th in the INDYCAR standings, with one top five and three top 10s.
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