The Air Jordan 11 is Michael Jordan's most beloved signature sneaker and, per many collectors, the greatest basketball shoe ever made. Released in 1995, the AJ11 introduced patent leather to basketball — a formal, dressy material that Tinker Hatfield insisted on despite Nike's reluctance, arguing MJ wanted a shoe he could wear with a suit.
The AJ11's cultural weight is immense: Michael Jordan wore it during the Chicago Bulls' historic 1995-96 regular season (72-10, an NBA record that stood for 20 years) and his fourth NBA championship. Space Jam released alongside the AJ11 in 1996, with MJ wearing a specific AJ11 colorway throughout the film.
Signature design elements:
- Patent leather mudguard — the first Jordan with patent leather, making it acceptable off-court
- Ballistic mesh upper — translucent mesh allowing the patent leather to visually dominate
- Carbon fiber shank — the first use of carbon fiber in a basketball shoe, for forefoot stability
- Iconic silhouette — universally recognized regardless of sneaker knowledge
Championship history:
MJ wore the AJ11 during his 1995-96 championship (the 72-10 season), considered his finest on-court year.
Signature colorways:
- Concord — white with black patent leather, the most iconic AJ11
- Bred — black with red patent leather
- Space Jam — black/blue released with the 1996 film
- Cool Grey — white with cool grey patent leather
- Columbia / Legend Blue — UNC blue patent leather
- DMP (Defining Moments Pack) — championship-themed gold medalist colorway
- 72-10 — black/red commemorating the 1995-96 season
- Jubilee / 25th Anniversary — gold-accented 2020 tribute
Retail:
$225 for standard High OG retros. The AJ11 Concord regularly sells $500+ on secondary market for Holiday retros.
JustFreshKicks covers every Air Jordan 11 release — annual Holiday retros, anniversary editions, and player exclusives — with release dates, images, and launch links.