The 11 Greatest Air Jordan 11 Colorways of All Time

It’s December, which means the holidays are on everyone’s mind. It also means a very specific (albeit unofficial) holiday is on a very specific kind of person’s mind: The release of the annual Holiday Air Jordan 11.

The Jordan 11 ranks high among the greatest Air Jordan sneakers of all time. When Tinker Hatfield added ballistic mesh and a stripe of patent leather to the first new Air Jordans worn by Mike after his return from baseball in 1995, it changed the sneaker world forever. They became the hottest kicks in a line of kicks famed for being pretty hot to begin with.

Unlike most Air Jordan silhouettes, which receive countless new colorways and collaborations every year, 11s are kept something resembling sacred. While there may be a new women’s colorway or low-top interpretation once or twice a year, for the most part they’re limited to a special release on the second or third weekend of December and have been for well over a decade now. It’s a holiday tradition, often one of the most anticipated releases of the year—to the point that certain colorways have been known to cause literal riots in the mall upon dropping.

All of which is to say: This is a sneaker worthy of a deep dive, and this just so happens to be the perfect season to give it one. Here are the 11 greatest Air Jordan 11 colorways of all time.

11. Air Jordan 11 ‘Cherry Red’

The Holiday 11 launch is usually an opportunity for Jordan Brand to bring back one of the silhouette’s more iconic colorways. There’s often a bit less excitement when the launch features a new interpretation. Some may miss the mark, but 2022’s new Cherry Red version was right on target, sporting a blast of Bulls-red patent leather on a classic white upper.

10. Air Jordan 11 ‘Neapolitan’

Released in 2023 in women’s sizing only, the ‘Neapolitan’ colorway of the Air Jordan 11 is among the best ever to not be released around the holidays. It blends an off-white upper with a dark brown leather stripe and soft pink soles, making for a sneaker so nice you couldn’t keep them on ice if you tried.

9. Air Jordan 11 ‘Cap and Gown’

Black on black is never a bad look, and that remains the case with these. The ‘Cap and Gown’ Jordan colorways (there’s a 13 with the same makeup, too) are ostensibly designed to commemorate graduation season, with the all-black look meant to pair well with diploma digs. That said, even if you got your diploma a few decades ago, these are the sort of sneakers that work for anyone and go with any fit.

8. Air Jordan 11 ‘Win Like 96’

If sneaker history has taught us anything it’s that all-red-everything is a recipe for success. The ‘Win Like 96’ joints? Just look at the name–these are a slam dunk, an easy win, an instant classic. Red on red on red with a white sole and a black Jumpman logo is perfection. Here’s hoping these make their return soon (we last saw them back in 2017).

7. Air Jordan 11 Low ‘Pink Snakeskin’

The 11 Low has gotten this treatment a few times, eschewing its signature patent leather stripe for a vibrant blast of snakeskin, often in a bright color. There are a lot of heaters in this makeshift collection but the best is the women’s-exclusive Low, which came in white with hot pink snakeskin stripe.

6. Air Jordan 11 ‘Legend Blue’

The most recent Holiday 11 release, the ‘Legend Blue’ 11s (also known as the ‘Columbia’) are a particularly beloved colorway that MJ originally laced up for the 1996 All-Star Game. The baby blue—a nod to Mike’s beloved alma mater UNC—was meant to pair with the teal jerseys the East team wore during the game. They’ve only been brought back a couple of times since then, making them one of the more elusive 11 colorways out there.

5. Air Jordan 11 ‘Cool Grey’

Listen, nobody’s favorite MJ era is the Wizards stretch. But the kicks he laced up during that run? They’re in the conversation. Case in point: the ‘Cool Grey’ 11s, an addition to the silhouette’s lore that he famously laced up in D.C. They remain among the more popular 11 colorways of all time, especially once you get outside of the core pairs he wore while on the Bulls.

4. Air Jordan 11 Retro Premium ‘Derek Jeter’

It’s a rare thing for Jordan Brand to create an exclusive colorway of the 11 in homage to any athlete who didn’t wear number 23 for the Chicago Bulls. But then again, Derek Jeter was a rare athlete. Back in 2017, the brand released a hyper-limited colorway—we’re talking five pairs only, available via scratch-off auction—in Yankee Navy suede with the Captain's number 2 etched on the back. Good luck securing a pair of these without going into Uncut Gems-esque debt—but man, you can’t talk about the greats without talking about the greats.

3. Air Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’

Another one of those colorways that’s synonymous with the silhouette, the Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’ served as the shoe’s cinematic debut. Jordan laces them up with the Tune Squad for the final showdown against the MonStars in the film’s climactic basketball game. One could argue Space Jam is just one giant commercial—and they wouldn’t be wrong—but we’d argue that at least it’s a commercial that works. Try watching it and not looking up pairs of these on StockX as the credits roll.

2. Air Jordan 11 ‘Bred’

You can’t have an Air Jordan silhouette that doesn’t dabble with the line’s famous black-and-red (“Bred”) color scheme. The signature colors of Mike’s Chicago Bulls, it’s graced most every Air Jordan silhouette that matters. The 11’s spin is a classic, one of the best of an already elite series of colorways.

1. Air Jordan 11 ‘Concord’

No need to play coy: This is the one. The Air Jordan 11 ‘Concord’, with its simple black-and-white color scheme, is the grail of grails for Jordan heads. It’s a perfect interpretation of a perfect sneaker. No wonder it caused those riots. The last time it hit shelves was 2018, so hopefully in the next few years old and new heads alike will get the chance to re-up.