There’s no question that Air Jordans are one of the most iconic sneakers in history. They continue to be popular after all these years, and new releases always create a frenzy among sneakerheads. Despite each Jordan release being great in their own way, there are always a select few that are considered the best of the bunch. We’ve put together a list of the best Jordans of 2022. From 1s, 2s, 4s, and more, check out which drops made the cut.
Air Jordan 1 Chicago Lost and Found
Michael Jordan’s original Chicago colorway can be considered his and Jordan Brand’s Magnum Opus. It was the sneaker that started it all for MJ’s footwear empire and was the first colorway/sneaker that Jordan wore during his rookie year in the NBA. The now coveted colorway is considered a grail within the sneaker community, as it has only been reissued a handful of times since 1985. The Chicago Jordan 1 has returned this year in its OG high-cut iteration and Jordan Brand did not disappoint patient fans. The Jordan 1 Retro High OG Chicago Lost and Found brings a vintage vibe to the Chicago colorway, featuring pre-yellowed accents on the midsole, ashy outsole, and pre-cracked leather on the collar. Its original 1985 shape and aged white nylon tongue add the finishing touches to this time capsuled beauty.
Air Jordan 2 J Balvin
Colombian pop artist J Balvin is known for his love of colors, he quite literally has an album titled COLORES. On top of the top-charting album title, his first Jordan collaboration brought a plethora of color to the Air Jordan 1. This year, J Balvin adds to his colorful Jordan projects with his take on the Air Jordan 2, bringing not only a new palette to the silhouette but also a light fixture to its tongue. The Air Jordan 2 J Balvin features cloud graphics on the heel and matching Celestine Blue puffed panels and nubuck on the upper. Rainbow stitching throughout the sneaker brings an additional pop of color to the sneaker while a light-up tongue and glow-in-the-dark outsole add a glow to J Balvin’s second signature project with the Jumpman. For J Balvin’s unique and creative take on the AJ2, this collaboration is more than deserving of attention and being a top drop of 2022.
Air Jordan 3 Fire Red
OG colorways dominated the year for Jordan Brand and one of those retros that got a lot of worthy praise was the return of the Air Jordan 3 Fire Red. The Fire Red Jordan 3 debuted back in 1988 alongside its other OG colorways such as the White Cement, True Blue, and Black Cement. Although the sneaker has been retored in 2007 and 2013, it’s 2022 that delivered the sneaker in its true ‘88 form. The recent Air Jordan 3 Fire Red retro comes equipped with white tumbled leather and elephant print uppers and Fire Red accents featured throughout. Two major design differences in this retro to others is its Nike Air heel and shape, both reminiscent of the 1988 original.
Air Jordan 1 Taxi
Air Jordan 1s are usually some of the most popular silhouettes to drop every year. The shape, the legacy of the silhouette, and its versatility are just a few of the many reasons why they remain a top seller. The Air Jordan 1 Taxi adds to the silhouette’s roster of noteworthy colorways. The Taxi, also colloquially known as the Yellow Toe, follows a similar trend in Jordan 1 color schemes like the Royal Toes, Bred Toes, and Pine Greens that came before it, featuring Taxi Yellow leathers on the toe and heel. Matching yellow outsole, Sail midsole and side panels, and black Swoosh add contrast to the sneaker.
Air Jordan 11 Cherry
Every year, sneakerheads are eager to see whether or not Jordan Brand will bring back a classic OG colorway to the Jordan 11 or introduce a new take on the patent leather sneaker. This year, it’s a bit of both. The Cherry 11 colorway originally found its way onto a pair of lows back in 2001, alongside similar styles like the Columbian Blue and Navy Snakeskins from that same year. 2022’s Air Jordan 11 Cherry pays homage to that low-top iteration, bringing higher cut patent leather mudguards, crisp ice blue outsoles, and a Cherry Red Jumpman logo stitched on the upper. The Jordan 11 is always the highlight of the year and tends to be one of the most sold sneakers on StockX come the silhouette’s usual return in December, making it a must-cop for the holiday season.
Air Jordan 1 Low OG SP Travis Scott Reverse Mocha
Travis Scott returned in 2022 with a new take on his signature Jordan 1 Low. The rapper and designer stuck to his quintessential brown, mocha, and cream colors and delivered a flipped version of his 2019 Jordan 1 Low. The Air Jordan 1 Low OG SP Travis Scott Reverse Mocha sports a mix of suede and leather materials throughout its upper. Alongside Scott’s signature Reverse Swoosh on the lateral side of the shoe, a “Cactus Jack” logo printed on the medial side of the shoe and stitched on the heel further display this 3-year long partnership. La Flame had a busy 2022 when it comes to releases, as hype for the Jordan 1 released helped build momentum for his other Nike Air Max 1 collaborations, and fueled even more anticipation for this upcoming Black Phantom release later this year.
Air Jordan 4 A Ma Maniére
A Ma Maniére continued their run of luxe-inspired Jordan collabs with this year’s Air Jordan 4 A Ma Maniére Violet Ore. Ever since their debut Jordan collab on the Jordan 3, and Footwear News’ 2021 Collaboration of the Year award, fans have been waiting to see what James Whitner and his AMM collective had been cooking up. This Jordan 4 upholds those same quality standards that can be found on their previous Jordans, as this sneaker features quilted liners, Violet Ore suede uppers, and a metal button on the heel embossed with A Ma Maniére’s “A” logo. To top it off, the heel features a Nike Air logo, which is a more favorable design element than the Jumpman heel featured on other AJ4 retroes. The Air Jordan 4 A Ma Maniére elevates the classic Jordan 4 in ways not previously done and shows just how much can be modified to the 1989 signature model to maintain its relevancy for years to come.
Air Jordan 2 Chicago
Even though the Air Jordan 2 Chicago hasn’t dropped yet, its speculative December release date qualifies it for “Best Jordan of 2022” consideration. This year has been unofficially dubbed the Year of the Jordan 2, as Jordan Brand introduced a slew of new retro colorways in 2022. The original Jordan 2 colorway and shape hasn’t been done properly since it’s initial release in 1986. But 2022 marks its return in complete OG form. The Air Jordan 2 Chicago reps the same historic colorway that Michael Jordan wore during his time with the Bulls and is equipped with a similar look to the original design. Snakeskin-embossed leather uppers, reptile spine design on the heel, and signature Wings logo on the tongue make this sneaker a blast from the past.
