Best Air Jordans of 2020

Off-White x Nike Air Jordan IV & V

Nike and Off-White’s inaugural “The Ten” collaboration in 2017 changed the landscape of sneaker collaborations, and the  Jordan 1 “Chicago” included in that drop became one of the most expensive Jordan 1 collaborations on the market currently.

Virgil and Nike refreshed their partnership with 2020, by serving up new takes of the IV and V. The Jordan IV “Sail” offered up a natural, monochromatic colourway with deconstructed elements, as well as mesh on the toe box and quarter.

The same “Sail” treatment and deconstructed elements were also applied to the Jordan V, while Virgil also added a hole-punch treatment to the sneaker, as an abstract expression of Nike Air.

The Off-White x Nike Air Jordan IV “Sail” secured an average resale premium of 500% and an average price of £855. The Off-White x Nike Air Jordan V performed best in its Toddler version, selling for 150% above retail, while adult sizes sold for 140% above retail.

Air Jordan I Retro High 85 “Varsity Red”

Featuring the same remastered shape as the Jordan I from the “New Beginnings” pack, this “Varsity Red” edition was limited to 23,000 pairs, and initially released at All-Star Weekend in Chicago. This best Jordan of 2020 contender presents a new spin on the “Bred” colour scheme, with notably different colour blocking on the toe. The leather used on this pair was also smoother compared to its “Bred” counterpart, making it one of our top Jordans of 2020. Added accoutrements included individual dust bags, and an OG-inspired hangtag.

The Nike Air Jordan I High 85 “Varsity Red” sold for an average price of £532, a 217% premium.

Air Jordan 1 Retro High “Royal Toe”

For this retro release, Jordan Brand hybridized two 1985 Jordan 1 models; mixing elements of the “Royal” and “Black Toe” colour schemes. Using the colour blocking of the OG  “Black Toe” as a starting point, Jordan then applied hits of “Royal” blue on the toe, ankle and outsole, as well as a white Wings logo to the collar. While the storytelling of this collaboration may have lacked the richness of some of Jordan’s collaborations from 2020, or releases like the “New Beginnings” pack, it’s clear that there was a voracious appetite for this non-OG colourway, as it was one of our customer’s favourite Jordans of 2020, ranking as the second most-commonly sold Jordan sneaker this year.

Second only to the “Flint” XIII, the Air Jordan I “Royal Toe” saw nearly 50,000 sales on StockX in 2020.

Air Jordan IV Retro Union “Guava Ice”

Another esteemed Jordan collaborator, Union’s Chris Gibbs delivered a divisive Jordan IV this year, as a follow-up to his Jordan I collaboration in 2018. When images first hit the web, some Jordan fans baulked at the snubbed tongue, which Gibbs later revealed could be unstitched to resemble a more familiar Jordan IV tongue. Gibbs once again showed his keen ability to tell stories through products, and if Jordan Brand doesn’t wind up tapping Union for a third collaboration, we would be greatly surprised. 

The Union-exclusive “Guava Ice” colourway sold for an average of 214% above retail.

Air Jordan I Retro High “Court Purple”

The Air Jordan I “Court Purple” were among a bevvy of non-OG colourways introduced in 2020, including the “Bio Hack”, “Light Smoke”, and others. What makes “Court Purple” a front-runner for the best Jordan of 2020? Even Kanye West couldn’t resist lacing up a pair and posting his on-foot photo on Twitter (before deleting it). Naturally, this made it one of the most searched colourways on StockX. The 2020 edition does differ slightly from the similar 2018 version, the latter of which differed via black panels on the toe box and lace stay.

Nearly 40,000 pairs of the Air Jordan I “Court Purple” were sold on StockX this year.

Air Jordan IV  Retro “Black Cat” (2020)

This year, the no-fuss “Black Cat” Jordan IV was treated to a retro release for the first time ever, which is kind of a big deal. This murdered out Jordan IV first released in 2006, and the name “Black Cat” derived from one of Jordan’s nicknames. Nubuck leather is complemented by graphite matte finishes, while Jumpman logos on the tongue and heel blend in seamlessly with the stealthy colour scheme. These are a cheat code. What else is there to say?

Over 20,000 pairs of the Air Jordan IV “Black Cat” were sold on StockX in 2020.

Air Jordan I Retro High “Dark Mocha”

Yet another non-OG Jordan I colourway that did not linger on shelves. If you see some similarities between this Air Jordan I “Dark Mocha” and Travis Scott’s reverse-Swoosh Jordan I from 2019, you’re not alone. It’s difficult to deny that the brown tones on the “Dark Mocha” edition are pretty similar to Travis Scott’s collaborative model, and many saw this as an opportunity to secure the look of Scott’s collaboration for less. Social media was quick to pick up on this comparison as well, with memes and reviews that drew comparisons between the two Jordan Is.

Over 27,000 pairs of the Air Jordan 1 “Dark Mocha” were flipped on StockX in 2020.

Air Jordan I Retro High (Oklahoma Sooners PE) & Air Jordan I  Retro High (Georgetown PE)

Player exclusives and friends-and-family models from Jordan Brand are some of the most covetable sneakers, and some of the most expensive on the aftermarket, specifically because they are never available to the public. While most of have little chance of ever owning a Jordan PE, occasionally some pairs do find their way onto StockX.

This year, just one pair each of player-exclusive Jordan 1s from Oklahoma and Georgetown sold for £3,644 and £4,012 respectively. What makes these models different from a regular Jordan 1, aside from the fact that they’re only given to players and staff? Exotic leathers feature throughout, like faux stingray and reptile-embossed leather, while school logos appear on the tongue. This extra attention to detail ensures both releases make our best Jordans of 2020 list.