The New Jordan: The 15 Dopest Athlete-Branded Sneakers
Nobody is taking Michael Jordan’s longstanding title as the most successful athlete to ever release an official sneaker series. Of course, that hasn’t stopped a few from trying. In a time when it seems like every pro athlete from basketball to football and even skateboarding has a sneaker deal written in their contracts, only a select few have genuinely crafted a successful and stylish collection of footwear.
Take a look at the fellas we think are giving MJ a run for his title. While a few of these guys are rocking in their retirement chairs right along with His Airness, you’ll definitely see a few that might sneak up on us and become the second coming to the Air Jordan legacy.
Nike KD (Kevin Durant)
It only took a couple of years of playing in the NBA before Kevin Durant landed his own signature sneaker with Nike Basketball. We’ve seen a new model every year since 2008, and each release has been impressive. The ongoing feature that has kept fans coming back for more has definitely got to be the Nike Zoom forefoot unit, which adds maximum comfort and flexibility. The latest in the series is the KD VII, and the hype we’ve seen around the “Global Game” and “35,000 Degrees” colorways is reminiscent of a few different Air Jordan releases.
Nike Charles Barkley
Jordan was already planning out sneaker number 10 by the time Charles Barkley released his first signature shoe, the Nike Air Force Max CB. Even though he was previously playing poster boy for the Air Force series, Barkley had clearly paid his dues for an official sneaker by 1994. Over the years, the shoe’s success and retro demand proved that these are some of the best player-endorsed kicks of all time. Over at our office, the CB 94 is pretty much unanimous as the favorite in the series’ seven silhouettes released.
Nike Kobe Bryant
Following a hit-or-miss run with adidas — most of us are still trying to wipe the KOBE TWO from our memories — Lakers king Kobe Bryant jumped ship to Nike and has been prospering in the sneaker department ever since. From the inaugural Nike Zoom Air Huarache 2K4 to the recent Nike Kobe 9 Elite, the biggest factor in his signature series has been footwear innovation. Season after season, each sneaker in the line has boosted the agility and overall performance of the Black Mamba’s in-game hustle, making him the closest successor to M.J.’s sneaker legacy next to another current “King” of the court.
Nike SB Stefan Janoski
The casual sneaker fan and legit skaters can all agree on the appeal of Stefan Janoski’s official series with Nike SB. The low-top design is the universal fan favorite, but mids are pretty popular in their own right. The simple approach in the Janoski’s overall design makes it the clear successor to the Air Force One when it comes to everyday footwear. From perforated uppers to premium leather builds, Stefan Janoski’s signature sneaker might just be the most versatile set of shoes in sneaker history.
Nike SB P-Rod (Paul Rodriguez)
Following a dope collaborative Nike Delta Force release in 2005, Nike and skate champ Paul Rodriguez officially linked up for the premier P-Rod series. This was the first time Nike had done a signature shoe with a skateboarder, and the results excelled beyond expectations. All the important specs were there from cushioned outsoles to perforated uppers, and the designs were filled with special collaborations and exclusive colorways. One thing you’ll also notice about the P-Rod collection is that each new silhouette is updated right along with the sneaker technology of its time. The new P-Rod 8 even incorporates Flywire.
Nike LeBron James
If anyone is on the path of matching Jordan’s impact, both on and off the court, it’s definitely LeBron James. With 12 sneakers already under his belt, LeBron isn’t too far away from being at MJ’s heels as the player with the most signature shoes to his name. The entire line incorporates the same next-level sneaker technology we’ve grown to love like Flywire and Lunarlon soles, but a lot of the appeal also has to do with interesting sneaker themes and colorways such as the Everglades, What The MVP, and Hero editions of the LeBron XI. Even if you’re not a fan, it’s still exciting to see where and how far this series goes, especially with the former Heat player about to embark on the most talked about NBA season of his entire career.
adidas Mutombo (Dikembe Mutombo)
Even with the initial lackluster reaction to the Mutombo 2, the first sneaker in Dikembe Mutombo’s signature adidas collection was enough to make this one of the best player kicks to ever come out. Sneakerheads appreciated it for both its high-top construction and intricate tribal print that paid homage to the legendary shot blocker’s Congolese heritage. With a recent retro of both shoes and the long awaited release of the TR Block silhouette, the hype around the adidas Mutombo is in a period of revival.
Reebok Question/Answer (Allen Iverson)
While Michael Jordan was making history with Nike — and later on his own with Jordan Brand — 76ers legend Allen Iverson was doing the same for Reebok. His signature Question shoe was, and still is, undoubtedly one of the best basketball sneakers to ever hit stores. The silhouette still comes out with new colorways and brand collaborations to this day, well past Iverson’s official retirement. Including the many Answer models that dropped afterwards, this series not only put Iverson in second place for the player with the most sneakers to his name, but it also allowed his legacy to be remembered for his skill on the court and not his frequent run-ins with controversy.
Nike Penny Hardaway
Given the NBA era that Penny Hardaway hails from, it was basically written in stone for him to have his own shoe. Of course, nobody could’ve imagined that the line would still continue well after his time in the NBA, including the ongoing success of the Foamposite One. For a player who never got a chance to get a championship ring during his time in the league, seeing both the Foams and the Penny 5 impacting the current sneaker community is an invaluable award.
Nike Air Griffey Max (Ken Griffey, Jr.)
During his time playing in the Major Leagues, Ken Griffey, Jr. was the Jordan of baseball, that is, until Jordan himself became the Jordan of baseball. Griffey’s dominating star power in the outfield made him an easy target for Nike, and the resulting Air Griffey Max was an instant success. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a few retro releases on the horizon.
adidas D Rose (Derrick Rose)
We’re still rooting for Derrick Rose to come back to the league and get it in the way he once did. Thankfully, the release of his D Rose sneaker line with adidas hasn’t been affected by his absence. Every sneaker in the series has its own design story, particularly with the Rose logo that represents his three brothers and mother. Outside of Durant’s signature shoe, this is one of the best sneaker lines by a relatively new athlete in the NBA in a long time.
Nike SB Eric Koston
On top of being a seasoned vet in the skateboarding world, Eric Koston has also managed to maintain his own signature series of skate sneakers, even with three different company switch-ups. Starting with éS, Koston released seven silhouettes from 1997 to 2005 before jumping over to Lakai. After spending the next few years dropping the Kost One, Kost Select, Lokoston and ESK-1 with them, he finally ended up at the prestigious door of Nike SB, his current and most trailblazing home. Visually, it’s one of the best-looking skate shoes to ever hit the market. The glove-like fit and lightweight feel makes it pretty dope to skate in as well.
Nike Air Tech Challenge II (Andre Agassi)
The Air Tech Challenge II says it all. Andre Agassi’s sneaker line broke major style barriers. Although the sneaker was built for tennis, it seamlessly translated to the streets in the same fashion as the Air Jordan collection. The neon-inspired colors were a complete rip from the late ’80s and early ’90s era when they first made an impact, which made them even more appealing when they got the retro treatment recently. We’re surprised more tennis players haven’t followed suit and released their own sneaker collections to follow in Agassi’s untouched turf legacy.
Nike Bo Jackson
Much like his sports career, Bo Jackson’s sneaker collection with Nike was built to focus on athleticism and training on all platforms of the field. The double All-Star — gaining those nods for both his baseball and football career — used his real-life training technique to inspire the aesthetics of the sneakers, starting with the classic Air Trainer 1. With an appeal that extended beyond more than one sport, it was only right that we include this collection in the mix. Even after all these years, Bo still knows.
Nike Air Diamond Turf (Deion Sanders)
Not too many people can say they hit a Major League home run and scored an NFL touchdown in the same week—in fact, Deion Sanders still stands alone in that accomplishment. That form of athleticism automatically made him a shoe-in — no pun intended — for a dope sneaker collection. Sanders pushed both his football and baseball skills to the forefront when promoting the Diamond Turf series, which proved that Bo wasn’t the only one who knew something about being an ambidextrous athlete.
Nobody is taking Michael Jordan’s longstanding title as the most successful athlete to ever release an official sneaker series. Of course, that hasn’t stopped a few from trying. In a time when it seems like every pro athlete from basketball to football and even skateboarding has a sneaker deal written in their contracts, only a select few have genuinely crafted a successful and stylish collection of footwear.
Take a look at the fellas we think are giving MJ a run for his title. While a few of these guys are rocking in their retirement chairs right along with His Airness, you’ll definitely see a few that might sneak up on us and become the second coming to the Air Jordan legacy.