English
Français
Deutsch
Italiano
Русский
Español
The Air Jordan 5 showed up right when Michael Jordan, Nike, and Tinker Hatfield were hitting their collective stride. Jordan back then was without a championship, but very much ascendant. Hatfield had basically won his version of a ‘chip between the huge smashes he’d designed—the first Air Max, the Jordan 3 and Jordan 4—at that point. And Nike was on the cusp of a historically dominant run in the decade.
The first new Jordan model of the 1990s set the tone; this was Nike on the offense. Hatfield’s design took after a fighter jet, spiking the midsole with shark-tooth cutouts. It was the first Air Jordan to use translucent sections on the outsole, no doubt making it the favorite Jordan of whichever genius invented Sea Glow. It was the first Air Jordan to use reflective materials, flashing out the tongue with a silvery section that went wild under the right light.
After the shoe’s initial run that kicked off in 1990, the sneaker came back for the first time in 2000 when Jordan Brand re-released the “Black/Metallic” colorway. It’s been in the brand’s retro lineup consistently since then, save for a dark period in 2010. The long second life of the Jordan 5 has provided crispy colorways, sought-after collabs, and one plaid pair of Fusions that we wish we could forget. Which are the best Air Jordan 5 colorways between the originals and the retros? This is our ranking of the all-time greatest Jordan 5s. As always, the ranked list excludes player exclusives and unreleased samples; we only considered Jordan 5s that have actually been released in compiling our selections.
Year Released: 2011
All-grey footwear is a formula that has been perfected by New Balance, but Jordan Brand has also produced its fair share of “boring” tonal grey hits. “Cool Grey” is a proven formula for success used on 3s, 4s, and at its best, on 11s. The slightly darker “Wolf Grey” 5s from 2011 weren’t bad. In fact, they are probably one of the more memorable new pairs from an era of Air Jordan retros so lackluster that the brand had to introduce a Remastered program in 2015 promising upgraded quality. I remember these being a hot commodity in the hallways of Timber Creek Regional High School. Casual consumers cared because they were so easy to wear. But ultimately, they are unremarkable in comparison to some other colorways we have seen dress Michael Jordan’s fifth signature sneaker over the years. —Mike DeStefano
Year Released: 2006
This shoe might be the Jordan that’s most representative of the mid-2000s streetwear era. The ‘Green Bean’ 5 was a classic to some, not so good to others. Not a purists shoe, but certainly a shoe. It took the concept of the reflective tongue being the definitive trademark of the Jordan 5 and applied it to the whole model, then made all the highlights a bright green. Because why not. I remember these shoes hit NikeTalk, just as I started to seriously collect shoes. They didn’t release where I lived, but I was wondering how everyone got them. They were everywhere. It made me think that these were a much bigger Jordan they were. The fits people wore with these were either bad or amazing, depends who you ask. There were plenty of E Cap City-style fitted hats made in matching colorways. Jordan even brought the shoe back in 2022. It didn’t hit the same. But the shoe still hits like some warm, foggy memory. —Matt Welty
Year Released: 2006
Originally released in 2006 as part of the LS (Lifestyle) series of Air Jordan retros, the “Olive” Air Jordan 5 is a love-it-or-hate-it colorway. Some appreciate its premium upper and hits of orange. Purists jeer at the non-original color scheme. In most cases, an olive green and orange color combo is a winner. For some reason, it just doesn’t work that well on these. Frankly, in my opinion, they just don’t look very good. Maybe it’s because they sort of feel like a much worse consolation to the heralded “Undefeated” 4s that debuted just a year prior? Maybe a 5 just looks perfect in black, white, and red? There are various reasons. Despite their mediocrity, these still got a retro release in 2024. The jury is still out on how much we really needed that one, but I guess there are some people that look back on the “Olive” 5s quite fondly after all. –Mike DeStefano
Year Released: 2007
Anyone who knows me knows that this is my favorite sneaker of all time. It’s something that the team gives me plenty of shit for in our Slack channel, so I’m just happy to see the Air Jordan 5 “Laser” actually find its way on this list. This sneaker came out during an insane run for the Jordan 5 in 2006 and 2007, alongside other memorable colorways like the “Green Bean,” “Dark Army,” and “Olive.” Mark Smith was the Nike designer who developed the laser project that saw graffiti and tattoo style markings hit the upper of a number of different models ranging from the Air Force 1 to the Air Jordan 4 and, of course, the Air Jordan 5. This version of the laser pattern features a bunch of other Jumpman silhouettes etched into the upper, so it’s basically a history lesson and a sneaker rolled into one. If you’re a sneakerhead and we’re talking about shoes, expect me to bring this pair up in conversation. But if you’re a Nike employee, expect me to petition for you to get this pair the retro that it deserves. —Ben Felderstein
Year Released: 2013
Nike’s special edition Doernbecher sneakers are easy to root for. The shoes are designed in collaboration with patients at the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Their young muses allow the projects more levity and push the boundaries of what would normally be accepted for some of the sneakers involved—think Superman logos and spaghetti icons on retro Jordans. The Doernbecher remix of the Jordan 5 felt heavier than most: its patient designer, 12-year-old Isaac Arzate, suffered a fatal heart attack in 2012 before his shoe would release the following year. The sneaker he left behind is a heartfelt tribute of a Jordan 5, a shiny black pair with the words from a poem the late Arzate wrote hidden in black-light-activated text on the upper. —Brendan Dunne
Year Released: 2000
For the past couple decades, it’s been no surprise to see any Air Jordan model arrive in any random colorway, with a story attached that pulls details (of varying degrees of significance) from all aspects of Michael Jordan’s life. But before all that was the “Laney” Air Jordan 5, the first non-original colorway (then known as “Retro+”) of the model to release. Its white, blue, and yellow look told the tale of Jordan’s alma mater, Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina—the same school where he was infamously cut from the varsity team as a sophomore. The concept laid the groundwork for deeper dives into Jordan’s history, proceeding shoes like the “David Letterman” Air Jordan 1, “Flight Jacket” Air Jordan 6, and “Shattered Backboard” Air Jordan 1. The “Laney” colorway itself has been flipped on many shoes since, including multiple Air Jordan 1s, an alternate version of the Air Jordan 5, and even Travis Scott’s “Elkins” collab, which paid tribute to his own high school that just happens to have the same colors. —Zac Dubasik
Year Released: 2015
By the 2010s, Supreme and Nike’s collaborative relationship was cemented. The New York City skate brand wasn’t just putting its spin on SB models like fat-tongued Dunks and Blazers anymore. It was remixing classic basketball sneakers like Foamposites and Air Force 1s. Its three-pack of Air Jordan 5s that released in October 2015 continued that winning streak and marked the first time that the Box Logo would cross paths with the Jumpman. Supreme even got the man himself to star in a campaign, a feat that still feels sort of unbelievable.
Subtle design tweaks like Supreme logos peeking through on the mesh side panels and “94” replacing the usual “23” stitched on the lateral heels to reference the brand’s founding year (1994) made these feel that much more special. Black nubuck and white leather pairs released too that acted as nice homages to original colorways like the “Metallic” and “Fire Red.” They’re totally fine. But the neck-breaking desert camo colorway (which may or may not double as a nod to CNN’s The War Report) is the crown jewel of this monumental collaboration. —Mike DeStefano
Year Released: 2011
There was once a day when this shoe was one of the ultimate sneaker grails. I’m not sure how much it’s held up over the years. From 2011, the Tokyo Jordan 5s were only released in Japan. The last time a pair sold on StockX, in 2018, it went for over $8,000. That’s a different era, but it goes to show how much this shoe was once held in a high regard. The all-yellow Jordan 5 was daring, and the T23 logo on the heel set it apart. It came out for the opening of the Jordan store in Tokyo and there aren’t many pairs in circulation. Even fewer in North America, as it only released in Japan. The shoe was referenced on the “What The” Jordan 5, but that remixshoe didn’t meet the hype of its predecessor. Drake wore the “Tokyo” 5s courtside back in the day, sitting next to Kevin Hart; it was a big deal. If Jordan Brand brings this shoe back (which they shouldn’t) it won’t be what it once was. —Matt Welty
Year Released: 2011
The short-lived but now-revered Bin 23 series of Air Jordan releases from the early 2010s asked the question, “What could have been?” It brought scrapped samples from the brand’s history back to life and added premium touches like wooden shoe trees, dust bags, special packaging, and some of the nicest leather ever used on Air Jordans. Limited to just 2,133 pairs and individually numbered, the Air Jordan 5’s entry into the series is held as one of the best. It offered a more upscale take on the “Black Metallic” colorway, featuring supple leather rather than nubuck, an updated mesh pattern, a tonal number-23 on the heel, and white laces—just like Michael Jordan laced up in the 1990 NBA Playoffs. It also retained some of that model’s most notable details, like the 3M tongue and icy sole. The sneaker retailed for $175, which was $25 more than other Air Jordan 5s releasing in the era.—Zac Dubasik
Year Released: 2009
When the “Raging Bull” Defining Moments pack, consisting of this red suede Jordan 5 and a black reflective pair, released in 2009, the $310 duo sat at sneaker stores. A lot of that was due to the economic recession at the time—people didn’t really have $300 to spend on a sneaker pack. But over the years, the set quickly gained favor in the sneaker community and became one of the most sought-after packs Jordan Brand ever created. Fiery red suede lends to this pair sticking out a bit more than its 3M counterpart, but the combination of the two was even better. Taking the “Raging Bull” concept even a step further is arguably the greatest special packaging that the brand ever made: a double-decker box with faux wood panelling and menacing red eyes peaking through. In 2021 the red suede pair returned with a similarly-designed solo box, but the retro didn’t quite hit the same as the original. There’s something about a double box and that 3M colorway that puts the 2009 version over the top. —Ben Felderstein
Year Released: 1990
Back in the day, Nike couldn’t release an Air Jordan without ticking the box of making a base-white pair with black and red accents. And there were times when that practice felt just like that—ticking the box. That’s not to say this isn’t a great colorway, and as one of the original Jordan 5s with a reflective tongue this pair still does stick out, it’s just not the most thrilling Jordan 5 out there. That being said, it’s a historically important one, even if it’s one of the most confusing in terms of nomenclature. On that note—we’ll accept “Fire Red” 5s for this shoe; you can call the other white/black/red one the “Fire Red” too, though. Either way, still fire. —Brendan Dunne
Year Released: 2020
The highest-ranking non-original Jordan 5 on this list, the Off-White x Air Jordan 5 is arguably the best Off-White x Nike creation outside the first set of “The Ten.” Both colorways of the Off-White Jordan 5 are terrific, but for the purposes of this list, we’re featuring the first one. What really made this Jordan 5 special was the personal connection to Virgil Abloh. In 2020, Abloh told Complex that the Air Jordan 5 was the first shoe he recalled purchasing as a kid. On top of that, he released this colorway during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, a city dear to both the late designer and Michael Jordan.
More than any other pair of 5s on this list, the Off-White collab offers something completely different. The upper is stripped down and covered in an eye-catching ripstop material, it features pre-yellowed soles for a classic vintage feel, and uses see-through circles on the tongue and upper that the wearer can choose to cut out or just leave be. In 1990, Abloh was first introduced to the Air Jordan 5 like the rest of us, but thirty years later, he introduced the world to an iteration unlike anything the model had seen before. An incredibly impressive feat leading to this pair’s placement on our list. —Ben Felderstein
Year Released: 1990
Before the concept of “Player Exclusive” sneakers was on the radar of sneaker fans, Michael Jordan was lacing up special iterations of his sneakers that never hit retail. Not only were there functional changes, like the strap being added to his Air Jordan 1 to aid in the rehab of his broken foot, there were some aesthetic changes too, like personalizing the sides of this Air Jordan 5s with his jersey number. Unlike the retail version of the “Black Metallic” 5, Jordan was spotted playing in pairs with number 23 embroidered in the heel. The “Black Tongue” colorway of the Air Jordan 5 brought this detail to the masses, and was the only original colorway to utilize it. It wouldn’t be seen again until the Retro+ “Laney” colorway in 2000 a full 10 years later. The feature has been used regularly in the years that have followed, but it made this version of the “Fire Red” 5 truly unique, and an important part of Air Jordan history. —Zac Dubasik
Year Released: 1990
Remember when the Charlotte Hornets were known for their awesome, perfectly ‘90s color scheme rather than being one of the worst franchises in all of sports? If you were of age when the Air Jordan 5 first came out, you know what we’re talking about. The “Grape” colorway of the Jordan 5, an outlier compared to the blue-based, non-Bulls alternates that preceded it on the Jordan 3 and Jordan 4, wasn’t officially connected to the Hornets, but it might as well have been. The shoe was dripped out with a teal and purple combo that matched those Hornets Starter jackets that were objects of desire across playground and street corners in the early ‘90s. It was made infinitely more fresh by a co-sign from Will Smith, who took the laces out of his pair. It even predated the similarly colored Jazz cup, another icon of design from that decade, by two years. The retros have been sub par—we’re only this year getting the shoe back in its original “Nike Air” glory—but that hasn’t materially subtracted from this being an all-time Jordan. —Brendan Dunne
Year Released: 1990
This is the one. Is there even a debate? Not even close. When you close your eyes and imagine the Air Jordan 5, you see the “Black Metallic” pair. Michael Jordan wore them with white laces. Maybe you saw them in Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon commercial where he asks Mike if “it’s the shoes?” Maybe you got a retro in 2000 with the “Nike Air” on the back. Or when they came back in 2007, or 2016, or 2025. It just looks so dang good. The black upper, the 3M tongue, the icy sole—it’s perfection. Jordan didn’t win a ring in these shoes, that would come the following year in the Air Jordan 6s. But many can argue the “Black Metallic” 5 is better than the “Black Infrared” 6. It’s a close call. When Tinker Hatfield designed the shoe, he wanted to create something that no one had ever seen before. And that was achieved by the 3M tongue. Against the nubuck of the black upper, it just pops, more so than on any other Air Jordan 5. The shoes re-released this year and were a surprise hit. They still have that juice, even if the pair ‘25 version isn’t totally true to the original. —Matt Welty
Read the full article here
