The History Of Jordan's Ever Made - The Holy Grail for Sneakers

In the year 1984, Michal Jordan joined the NBA, and he was a very promising player and we have seen that over the years. Nike took a risk with this young athlete back then and signed a deal to produce his own line of shoes. Prior to that, Michal Jordan always used Adidas, but when Nike approached him with this, he immediately agreed.

They made the first Air Jordans only for Michal Jordan in 1984. Later in 1984, released to the public. They originally made these basketball shoes in iconic red and white colour. They got banned because of the ‘white-only’ rule.

There was a fine on Michal Jordan every time he wore these shoes, which Nike covered. This was a major ploy from Nike. when the Air Jordan released to the public the first 50,000 pairs got sold immediately. The Air Jordans also got their own logo.

Here is a List of All the Air Jordans Ever Made :

Air Jordans I (AJ I):
Release date: April 1985
Original cost: $65
Designer: Peter Moore
The first shoe which was so flashy in the NBA series. These were the shoes which got banned from the NBA and Nike covered the $5000 fine, charged against Michal Jordan for violating the uniform code.

Air Jordans II (AJ II):
Release date: November 1986
Original cost: $100
Designer: Peter Moore and Bruce Kilgore
These were the first Jordans to cross the $100 retail threshold for shoes. Made with Faux lizard skin in Italy. Also, the first Nike shoes to ditch the Nike swoosh on the side of the shoe. This was the last Jordans designed by Peter Moore.

Air Jordans III (AJ III):
Release Date: January 1988
Original Cost: $100
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
These were the first-ever shoes designed by the legendary Tinker Hatfield. Michal Jordan dominated the NBA with these shoes. He was the MVP and defensive player of the year. This year the ‘Jumpman’ logo was born.

Air Jordans IV (AJ IV):
Release Date: January 1988
Original Cost: $110
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
This shoe was the reason for the Air Jordan franchise becoming famous as the AJIV became the pop culture back then. These were the first globally released Jordans.

Air Jordans V (AJ V):
Release Date: January 1988
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
They inspired the design on these shoes from the shark-toothed shape reminiscent of the fighter jets from world war II. It has a clear rubber soul derived from fly Marty McFly’s Nike Mags from the movie Back to the Future II.

Air Jordans VI (AJ VI):
Release Date: February 1990
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Michal Jordan claimed his first NBA championship wearing these shoes. Tinker Hatfield inspired the design of these shoes from Michal Jordan’s sports car and Michal Jordan’s personal touches. Also, the first pair of shoes with a spoiler that helped players wear and remove their shoes.

Air Jordans VII (AJ VII):
Release Date: February 1992
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Michal Jordan wore these on the international stage as a part of the ‘Dream Team’ that took the gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. They inspired all the designs on this pair of shoes from African Tribal prints.

Air Jordans VIII (AJ VIII):
Release Date: 1993
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Debuted in the year when Michal Jordan and Chicago Bulls became one. And won three NBA seasons consecutively. These were the only pair of sneakers that offer straps on top of the laces. These were the most trending 90s shoes.

Air Jordans IX (AJ IXI):
Release Date: February 1993
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Released on the year when Michal Jordan announced his retirement from basketball, this happened because of the murder of his father earlier in 1993. It has a rising sun on the back and incorporates a lot of elements from different cultures

Air Jordans X (AJ X):
Release Date: 1994 – 1995
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Made with the idea of the end of Michal Jordan’s career. The sole features his accomplishments. But on March 18, 1995, he sent the Chicago Bulls a fax saying “ I’m Back”, wore these shoes on the game and scored 55 points!

Air Jordans XI (AJ XI):
Release Date: 1995
Original Cost: $125
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Michal Jordan wore these in his most impressive year. He won MVP, All-star MVP, and Finals MVP before securing the championship. Inspired from the aerodynamics of his convertible car.

Air Jordans XII (AJ XII):
Release Date: November 1995
Original Cost: $135
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Considered as the most durable Jordans. Michal Jordan wore this for a game in Utah, battling a temperature of 103. Hatfield derived the design from Japanese Nisshoki shoe and Rising sun flag.

Air Jordans XIII (AJ XIII):
Release Date: November 1995
Original Cost: $135
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Hatfield designed this shoe inspired by the animal black panther. The sole looks like a panther’s paw. They nicknamed this shoe, black cat.

Air Jordans XIV (AJ XIV):
Release Date: October 1998
Original Cost: $150
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
The design was inspired by Michal Jordan’s Ferrari 550M. The prototype was given to him by Hatfield, he said not to wear or reveal it. But Michal Jordan instantly fell in love with the shoes and wore them in the game.

Air Jordans XV (AJ XV):
Release Date: December 1999
Original Cost: $150
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Made when Michal Jordan decided to retire for the second time. These shoes never saw playing time in the field on Michal’s shoes. 13th, and the last pair of shoes designed by Tinker Hatfield until the Jordan XX. More on that later.

Air Jordans XVI (AJ XVI):
Release Date: February 2001
Original Cost: $160
Designer: Wilson Smith III
For the first time in over a decade, Jordans had a different designer,
Wilson Smith III. These shoes had a magnetic detachable shroud which made it go from game shoes to a fashion statement. In the 2001-02 pre-season, Michal Jordan surprised everyone by coming out of retirement again.

Air Jordans XVII (AJ XVII):
Release Date: February 2002
Original Cost: $200
Designer: Wilson Smith III
These were specially made for Michal Jordan welcoming him back to the field.
They had little keynotes of music above the lace strap resembling Michal’s love for jazz. These shoes came in a Metal briefcase package with a CD-ROM.

Air Jordans XVIII (AJ XVIII):
Release Date: February 2003
Original Cost: $175
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
Wearing these, Michal Jordan stepped out of the court for the last time. This pair of shoes, like many others, was inspired by one of his sports cars. The original shoes came with a towel, brush and a driver’s manual.

Air Jordans XIX (AJ XIX):
Release Date: March 2004
Original Cost: $165
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
Designed after a poisonous African snake. This shoe was introduced with Tech-Flex. It’s a stretchy, braided fabric which resembles reptilian skin. It came in a split open box which opened to reveal the Jordans.

Air Jordans XX (AJ XX):
Release Date: February 2005
Original Cost: $175
Designer: Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith
Michal Jordan’s life story was lasered on the top of the shoe resembling many things like Michal with his mom in a 1976 Chevrolet monte Carlo, toolbox and gold clubs saying pops resembling his dad and his dad’s murder. In the back, there are 69 dimples resembling the highest-scoring game. Also, Tinker Hatfield was back onto designing shoes after a long break.

Air Jordans XXI (AJ XXI):
Release Date: January 2006
Original Cost: $175
Designer: Dwayne Edwards
This shoe carried luxury and was a massive style statement back in the day. This pair of shoes had an interchangeable sole and had a hidden message which could be seen under UV light which when rearranged would spell out ‘AUTHENTIC’.

Air Jordans XX2 (AJ XX2):
Release Date: January 2006
Original Cost: $175
Designer: Dwayne Edwards
Inspired from the fighter jet F-22 raptor and had a camouflage backside. Also, these shoes have a titanium shank plate between the inner sole and outer sole so that the shoe doesn’t fold.

Air Jordans XX3 (AJ XX3):
Release Date: February 2008
Original Cost: $185
Designer: Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith
Made as the world’s first sustainable basketball shoes. Michal Jordan’s thumb thumbprint on the tongue, Fingerprint as the sole design, Michal Jordan’s signature on the tip of the shoe. This shoe was all about Michal Jordan.

Air Jordans 2009 (AJ 2009):
Release Date: January 2009
Original Cost: $190
Designer: Jayson Maydon
Has a pleated silk side panel inspired from Michal Jordan’s belief that defence is more like the sport of fencing. It was made with the articulate propulsion technology, known for its use in prosthetic legs of paralympics.

Air Jordans 2010 (AJ 2010):
Release Date: February 2010
Original Cost: $170
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
Inspired through Michal Jordan’s ability to see through the opponents. And had a window on both sides. Also, had a thinner sole for on-court responsiveness.

Air Jordans 2011 (AJ 2011):
Release Date: February 2011
Original Cost: $170
Designer: Tinker Hatfield and Tom Luedecke
These shoes were the first ones to have interchangeable Midsoles. Inspiration was taken from the elephant. These were the kicks that came with Customising options.

Air Jordans 2012 (AJ 2012):
Release Date: February 2012
Original Cost: $185
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
First-ever shoes with 3 interchangeable booties to adapt better to the game. Evey sole served a purpose.

Air Jordans XX8 (AJ XX8):
Release Date: February 2012
Original Cost: $250
Designer: Tinker Hatfield and Josh Heard
Highest priced Jordans till date. Was inspired from a concept car there was a zippable shroud on the entire shoe and that folds to show the inner boot. It also had something called the Sprint Spike which helped players gain more momentum.

Air Jordans XX9 (AJ XX9):
Release Date: Sept 2014
Original Cost: $225
Designer: Tinker Hatfield
World’s first woven basketball shoes. There is a 3 layer threading on the forefoot and heel because these parts are stretched the most. This too has a flight plate.

Air Jordans XXX (AJ XXX):
Release Date: February 2016
Original Cost: $185
Designer: Tinker Hatfield and Mark Smith
Inspired by Michal’s ‘out-worldly’ talents. Also, the roman numeral 30, that is XXX has appeared several times on these pair of shoes, including a graphic behind the shoe. Has Africa on the right shoe tongue and North America on the left tongue.

Air Jordans XXXI (AJ XXXI):
Release Date: August 2016
Original Cost: $185
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
After almost one and half decade, Nike swoosh was back on the shoe with the Jumpman logo. Used the flywave technology and were the lightest Jordans at that point of time

Air Jordans XXXII (AJ XXXII):
Release Date: October 2017
Original Cost: $185
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
These pairs of shoes have all the technology they had acquired for the shoes over the years. Flyknit, Faux lizard skin, folded leather trim.

Air Jordans XXXIII (AJ XXXIII):
Release Date: September 2018
Original Cost: $175
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
Inspired by the AJ III. The outer straps look like space flight suits. Also has fast-fit technology which locks your foot all the way around

Air Jordans XXXIV (AJ XXXIV):
Release Date: September 2019
Original Cost: $180
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
All the extra elements were taken off leaving the shoes with only what’s required. Lightest jordans made so far. Also with something called a Jordan Eclipse plate which helped the players make bouncy jumps.

Air Jordans XXXV (AJ XXXV):
Release Date: September 2020
Original Cost: $180
Designer: Tate Kuerbis
A new technology called the centre of gravity sole. Maximum lateral stability and late-game endurance. Completely new colour scheme and with maximum jump was the motive of creating this pair of shoes.

Nike Jordans are the most amazing shoes for basketball. The best of the best use it, win championships with it, make stories with it.
Awaiting many more jordans!

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