Ranking All 29 Air Jordans From Worst to First

By Timothy Downs

As well all eagerly await the release of the Air Jordan XXX, I decided to go back and rank the entire (yearly) catalog. Feel free to leave some feedback in the comments section below.

Timothy Downs is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. You can ‘like him’ on Facebook add him on Google or follow him Twitter @Tidow1212

Ranking All 29 Air Jordans From Worst to First

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Air Jordan XVI - 2001 - "Marching On" — To prove my point, I picked the most hideous looking version of the Air Jordan XVI I could find. Michael Jordan came out of retirement in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards, hence the "marching on" slogan.

Air Jordan 2011 — I was always taught to say nothing if I couldn't think of anything nice, so that's what I will do in regards to the Air Jordan 2011.

Air Jordan XX - 2005 - "Living Greatness" — There's so much wrong with these all at once.

Air Jordan 2010 — In 2009, Jordan brand ditched the roman numerals and began naming the sneaker by year. The Air Jordan 2010 is clearly an unmitigated disaster.

Air Jordan XVII - 2002 - "Jazzed Up" — I've never been able to figure out what the designers were trying to accomplish with the Air Jordan XVII.

Air Jordan II - 1987 - "Italian Stallion" — I love almost all of the retros, but Nike undoubtedly missed the boat with the Air Jordan II back in 1987.

Air Jordan 2009 — The Air Jordan 2009 looks like it was made by Reebok. Not sure what was going on in the minds of the Jordan brass at this point, but it couldn't have been incredibly interesting.

Air Jordan XIX - 2004 - "Full Flex" — I'm not even sure if the designers of the Air Jordan XIX know what they were trying to accomplish here.

Air Jordan X - 1995 - "The Legacy Continues" — The Air Jordan X isn't ugly, per se. However, doesn't it look like a boot instead of a basketball sneaker?

Air Jordan XV - 2000 - "Speed of Sound" — As bad as it is, we have to give the designers a break on the Air Jordan XV. It was Y2K, and everything was being designed in a futuristic manner as the new millennium began.

Air Jordan XVIII - 2003 - "Last Dance" — In the early and mid 2000s, it's clear the Jordan designers were caught up in the futuristic style. Over and over again, the shoe looked like something an alien would wear (not a Space Jam alien), and they essentially tried to render shoelaces extinct for some reason. The Air Jordan XVIII isn't ugly, but there's just too much going on.

Air Jordan VII - 1992 - "Pure Gold" — We're to the point of the collection where all of the editions are wearable, some more than others. The Air Jordan VII never did it for me, but I can't argue with those who say it's a clear-cut classic.

Air Jordan XX2 - 2007 - "Hit the Afterburners" — The Air Jordan XX2 is undoubtedly stylish, but looks nothing like a basketball sneaker.

Air Jordan IX - 1994 - "Perfect Harmony" — The Air Jordan IX would probably land a better ranking without the clump of rubber on the side. Are these basketball sneakers or snow tires?

Air Jordan XX3 - 2008 - "The Number of Greatness" — At first glance, the Air Jordan XX3 looks absolutely hideous. But when you give it a few minutes and look a little closer, it's actually quite visually appealing.

Air Jordan XIV - 1999 - "Race Ready" — It's hard to hate on the Air Jordan XIV. It falls in the middle of the pack, however.

Air Jordan XX9 - 2014 — I'm not in love with the color scheme of the Air Jordan XX9, but there's no denying the design is as golden as any since the turn of the millennium.

Air Jordan I - 1984-85 - "Notorious" — Here's where it all started. The original Air Jordan I was simple, yet full of character. You can't go wrong with a pair of these relics.

Air Jordan 2012 - "Choose Your Flight" — The Air Jordan 2012 is undoubtedly one of the top designs of the past 10 years.

Air Jordan XX8 - 2013 - "Dare To Fly" — The color scheme of the Air Jordan XX8 pictured above aside, this design is straight fire.

Air Jordan XI - 1996 - "Class Act" — The Air Jordan XI grew on me over time, and is undoubtedly a top 10.

Air Jordan XII - 1997 - "The Dynasty Continues" — The Air Jordan XII is one of the most underrated Jordan shoes of all time. You can't go wrong with any color scheme.

Air Jordan IV - 1989 - "Taking Flight" — The Air Jordan IV is a true classic, but didn't stray far enough away from its predecessor, the Air Jordan III, to cement (see what I did there?) a top-five ranking.

Air Jordan XX1 - 2006 - "Performance Luxury DNA" — Suede rarely works on a basketball shoe. But the Air Jordan XXI makes it work to perfection.

Air Jordan III - 1988 - "Gotta Be The Shoes" — The Air Jordan III is a top five classic and there's nothing you can say to make me believe anything to the contrary.

Air Jordan VIII - 1993 - "Strap In" — If you're old enough, you recall how crazy the masses went over the straps of the Air Jordan VIII. Another classic from the '90s lands in the top five.

Air Jordan VI - 1991 - "Promised Land" — The Air Jordan VI is an all-time great, but lands just outside legendary status.

Air Jordan XIII - 1998 - "Black Cat Pounces" — It was incredibly difficult to keep the Air Jordan XIII out of the No. 1 spot, but No. 2 is perfectly fitting.

Air Jordan V - 1990 - "The Fighter" — It doesn't even matter which color scheme you chose -- the Air Jordan V unquestionably goes down in history as the No. 1 edition.

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