14 Air Jordans That Have Never Been Retroed
In 1997, when Nike sub-branded the Air Jordan line created Jordan Brand, it was their way of saying: “We can sustain the line independently of the parent company by creating new, more affordable silhouettes so kids from all socioeconomic backgrounds have a chance to ‘Be like Mike.’”
In its infancy, the Jordan Brand had its greatest looking silhouettes. From a performance standpoint, this was Jordan Brand’s heyday as far a fully-loaded stable. One thing they knew was that the re-releasing of the Jordan I, II and III in 1994 was an incredible flop. Jesus, I got my pair of white/black/red Jordan IIs at a Sports Authority for $19.99 after having paid box price for the white/cement Jordan IIIs… after they sat for 2 weeks.
But then something happened. The tide turned once the IVs and Vs were reissued, or ‘retroed’ as the practice came to be known. Somehow old was new again. Everyone wanted what they either didn’t have when they were kids, or wanted them again. The retro portion of Brand Jordan then exploded. All the great colorways of the past were retroed, along with new takes on old favorites. And it’s been a landslide since.
It’s come to the point now that retros have been retroed and retroed… if that’s even such a thing. They have become so much a part of the Brand Jordan structure, that we often forget that there is actually a performance arm of the brand. So, what hasn’t been retroed yet? While there are a ton of releases from the past couple of years that haven't seen the light of day again, here are a few gems from the past that have stayed in the vault for a decade or more, check out these 14 Air Jordans That Have Never Been Retroed.
Air Jordan I "White/Neutral Grey"Originally released: 1985
At the initial release of the Air Jordan I, the primary way basketball shoes were worn, were as a white base with an accent color (unless you were the Celtics). The Air Jordan I was a radical step away from this practice basically forcing your eye into an explosion of color not seen before. For many of us, the first releases were nothing near what our team colors were, so we either wore shoes which didn’t match our uniforms, or we went another route Nike saw this and realized the white/neutral gray release would solve this problem. An Air Jordan that would go with ANY uniform.
In fact, the Air Jordan I was so versatile in its structure that it lent itself to sports off the hardwood. Most famously, the white/neutral gray colorway found itself on the turf of Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee:
Image via Vintage College Football Programs
Air Jordan I "White/Blue"Originally released: 1986
The white/blue colorway of the Air Jordan I followed the basic template of its predecessors, the white/black and white/powder blue. While the powder blue iteration got the nickname “Carolina," this colorway was geared towards the Kentucky Wildcats when they became Nike team for the 1985-86 season (even though they had their own team exclusive Dunk). With the recent retro of the white/black and white/powder blue set to drop later this month, the white/ blue could be on the horizon.
Air Jordan I "White/Metallic Blue"Originally released: 1986
There was once a time where there was no such thing as “lifestyle colorways.” Perhaps Jordan’s first foray into that realm was its metallic series. A standard white Air Jordan base with metallic blue, green, purple and red. The green, purple and red have been retroed—albeit without the OG “Nike Air” branding. The blue has not. While it'd be dope to see the metallic series get a true OG retro, it may not happen due to the glut of colorways that have thrust upon the AJ1 Mid.
AJKO "White/Neutral Gray"Originally released: 1986
The AJKO (and whatever we’re going to believe the acronym means) has come upon a bit of a rebirth as most of the originals of the series have been retroed along with issuing some new colorways as well. The white/neutral has been missing from the list. Maybe it’s due to the ease of white canvas getting dirty quickly, or maybe it’s that it’s just not flashy enough. Whatever the deal is, we haven’t seen the shoe in nearly 30 years.
Air Jordan VI "White/Maroon"Originally released: 1991
Nike moved towards more of an earth tone when it released the white/maroon VI. Just like the grape Vs were used in 1990, the maroon VI was used in the promotional materials for the 1991 Air Jordan catalog inserts. The primary action photos we have of MJ in the maroon VI are him playing on court in the Bo Jackson building in Beaverton. The appeal of the maroon VI is indeed the fact that it was released in a nontraditional color for the time and one which is great for the fall and winter. Initially set up for a Holiday 2015 release then late October, we still have no firm date to go by.
Air Jordan X "New York"Originally released: 1995
In 1995, and prior to Michel Jordan’s return to the Bulls, Nike released the Air Jordan “City Series” which focused on players on teams throughout the league. Hubert Davis was the chosen one to carry the torch in NYC. It wouldn’t have been the first time that Davis wore Air Jordans as he spent the 1994 NBA Playoffs in the Charcoal Air Jordan IXs—being a Carolina alum has its perks.
Air Jordan X "Orlando"Originally released: 1995
Chicago native Nick Anderson was tapped for the Orlando “City Series” kicks. While to the naked eye there appears to be no difference from the New York X to the Orlando, you’ll find the greatest difference on the sole where Orlando replaces the orange New York Jumpman with a silver one. Famously, in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals, it was Anderson, in the same Air Jordan Xs, who poked the ball away from Jordan late in the game to put the Magic in the lead.
Air Jordan X "Seattle"Originally released: 1995
The “City Series” wasn’t relegated to the east coast. Chicago was represented and retroed recently. Kendall Gill was also a Chicago native whose game at Illinois closely represented Jordan’s. Gill had his own Air Jordan IX PE in 1994 so it was only fitting that he’d represent the Emerald City in his own PE of the Seattle City Series. Neither helped as in 1994, as the number 1 seed in the Western Conference, they were beaten by the 8th seeded Nuggets and also eliminated the following season in the first round by the Lakers.
Air Jordan X "Sacramento"Originally released: 1995
Further south, and like Gill, Mitch Richmond was given the Air Jordan IX PE treatment. The following season, as the Kings rebranded themselves, Sacramento had a new, regal purple in their treatment. Richmond tended to wear his white/purple PE iteration of the X and the charcoal colorway as opposed to his version of the “City Series.” In '95, Richmond won the NBA All Star Game MVP in what? None other than Air Go LWPs.
Air Jordan XIII Low "Navy"Originally released: 1998
In their original runs, the Air Jordan I and II each released low cut versions of their high counterparts. It wasn’t until the Air Jordan XIII that Nike, or in this situation, Brand Jordan, decided to release a low cut version again in conjunction with the standard release. Including the textured mesh 3M side panels, the low offered a colorway reminiscent of the black/royal Air Jordan I in a silhouette which lent itself to all seasons.
Air Jordan XIII Low "Chutney"Originally released: 1998
In perhaps the brand’s most radical original release colorway to date, the Air Jordan XIII “Chutney” offered an earthy, autmunal look on its low cut silhouette. It was around this time when the brand really started to place a focus and push towards its off the court product and lifestyle options. The Chutney Air Jordan XIII is one often seen asked to be retroed.
Air Jordan XIV Low "Ginger"Originally released: 1999
The Air Jordan XIV would be the last silhouette MJ would wear for the Bulls, and most famously, was what he wore in games 3, 4 and 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The low cut version of this was released in the Ginger colorway almost as an extension of the previous year’s Air Jordan XIII “Chutney” offering. The brand continued its strategy of releasing a performance signature in a nontraditional lifestyle colorway and used it as a means to take Air Jordan from the court to the street.
Air Jordan XVI OG+QM "Cherrywood"Originally released: 2001
The Air Jordan XVI was a return to few original colorway releases. The primary XVI was released in the black and white/navy iterations. Brand Jordan created an OG+ alternate silhouette with some minor, more aesthetic changes. The “Cherrywood” colorway was more a graphite colorway with cherrywood hints whether the shroud was on or not, but altogether one of the nicest looking of the original OG shoes. Outside of the Black CDP release, we still wait for any XVI retro.
Aiir Jordan XVI OG+ "Ginger"Originally released: 2001
Somebody at Jordan Brand really liked the chutney/ginger look as once again, it made its way to the top performance signature. Wear it with the shroud and you get a near complete ginger silhouette. Wear it without and you get a more balanced silhouette. It's a two-fer of a shoe, and it'd be great if it came out again.
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