Recording 2014

‘s basketball shoe line continues to grow popularity, and he hasn’t played professionally almost decade. Now if that is not impressive, I do not know what is. made the shoes famous by playing them, and his on-the-court accomplishments have allowed the brand to continue to grow. And while it is not much about the shoe as it is the whose feet they were on, we’d all be lying if said we didn’t enjoy cringe at how some of his shoe styles looked. With this is mind, let us go beyond the court and rank ‘s shoes from the absolute ugliest, to the absolute best looking. And just to clarify, we are taking at look at the most famous or well-known styles, as the ones he and others actually played , not the imitations that Pauly D of the has unfortunately made unfoundedly popular. wore the Air X the 1994 , and I am still wondering what he was thinking. This shoe is incredibly ugly. The blueish grayish whitish lines near the shoe laces and at the bottom are reminiscent of aluminum foil. There is absolutely no action going on the heart of the shoe. Additionally, where is the logo? And where is the red? This shoe’s design and color scheme would have better suited while on the Wizards. To be fair though, it still would have been ugly while he was there too. This design is not only unimpressive, but it is hard to even look at it. I guess that it why opted to not include their symbol anywhere visible. wore the Air II during the 1986 , and while number No. 23 is anything but ordinary, mundane is exactly what these shoes are. The design is incredibly conservative. The shoe itself is mostly black and white, with just a tough of red near the heel. This shoe definitely could have benefited from increasing the range of colors on it, specifically red. Just by changing the laces to red would have made a huge difference. Even a giant check could have made this shoe much more than it is. This design is notoriously simple, a tag that just doesn’t fit MJ’s playing style. donned this pair of shoes, the Air XIX, during the 2003 . This pair of sneakers is more than eyesore to say the least. The front part of the tongue comes up way too high, and that fence like design going down it is terrible. There is a velcro strap, which is not helping the design’s case either. It makes concord 11s the part it is attached to look like one large flap is covering the actual shoe. It is hard to find anything good to say about the way this pair looks. This one could have benefited from a serious concept change. rocked the Air XII during the 1996 , and I’m still trying to figure out why. This design makes it seem as if the company ran out of time and just pitched anything. Absolutely no color other than black and white to it, and they are separated almost too even nature. Like the XI, the overall structure of the shoe terms of cut and width are nice, but why ruin a nice structural design by failing to institute the right amount of color? Not one of the better looking shoes by any means. wore this pair during the 1989 , and it was a refreshing change from the all too similar Air III and IV. The Air V sports a very innovative design near the bottom of the sole. The combination of red, black, white and gray was very clever. All of that being said, there is not much happening toward the middle and top part of the shoe. Too much white, not enough color. Additionally, the textured blob, as l refer to it, the middle is just not doing it for this design. The high rise flap at the front, with ‘s logo on it actually works for this shoe though. And it also saves the top part of the shoe from complete mediocrity. However, I still cannot get past that blob the middle. Where do we start with this pair of Jordans? The Air XVII was what wore for the 2001 and like the Air XVI, there is a hideous flap present within the body of the shoe. Only difference is that it looks more out of place, thus more of eyesore. What is its purpose? To cover the shoe laces? To tighten the fit? Regardless of its purpose, it looks out of place. Additionally, this the top part of the shoe where it cuts off has this box look to it. It isn’t very eye-flattering. The dark blue at the bottom is a nice tough though, as is the silver strip with inscribed it. And the rounded part near the toe does not look to bad either. Overall, this design had a lot of potential, but the flap and box like cut at the top kills it. Not ‘s best work. The Air XVI was released for the 2000 . This pair seems to try and match its predecessor the Air XV by attempting to go for that fresh,modern look. However, it fails terribly. The red near the bottom of the shoe is a very nice touch, but it could have used some more red the main body. Additionaly, the main boby of the shoe looks like its leathery, while the part near the toe is shiny plastic like. That is not a good combination. Also, the flap-like part that drapes over the side is a little too much. This is supposed to be a basketball shoe, not a blanket. As comfortable as these have been on the court, doesn’t make up for their less than mediocre appearance. The Air 2009 was released for the 2008 , and while its design is extremely modern, it could have benefitted from the use of more color. Despite the lack of color within this design, there is a lot going on. The front, near the toe, has a smooth texture, while toward the middle, a slab of texturized lines emerge. This shoe cuts off at a great height, but the triangle at the top of the tongue is uncalled for. This pair of ‘s really had potential, but some of it was squandered with the lack of color. The black, white and slight use of silver near the bottom was not enough to finish bringing this design together. wore the Air III during the 1987 , and it strays away from the brands typical use of solely black, red and white. The shoe is relatively low cut for a basketball shoe but still sits above the ankles effectively. The cracked gray design, almost cobblestone like, near the sole of the shoe is pretty impressive. While this design is different because it uses very little red, it could have benefited from some more use of said color. The top three-quarters of the shoe are almost all white. It could have been spiced up a bit with a little more color up top. A colored symbol the middle could have also improved the design. This one stays memorable though because of the cracked design at the bottom. Not one of ‘s better looking shoes but definitely not the worst. wore the Air XI throughout the 1995 , and the design makes me wonder if he was a particularly bad mood when he and came up with this concept. The overall design of the shoe is nice, and I am even on board with the thick, black stripe that engulfs the bottom of the shoe. Additionally, the overall cut of the shoe is pretty nice. All of that aside though, where is the red? Or even the pink? Any kind of color would have saved this shoe. It is inactive and just plain conservative. Structure of the shoe is nice, but appearances count for something or this case, everything. The XX2, which was released for the 2006 , is a plain design, yet it seems to work. On the back is almost checkered design that breaks up the sea of ordinary. This pair basically uses black and white colors to make its case, almost indicating decided to play it safe on this one. It does not have the allure of different colors, which it definitely could have benefited from, but at the same time, it does not horribly clash either. Playing it safe seem boring to sum, but it worked out for this time, allowing the XX2′s to be placed amongst the middle of the pack. and definitely killed the deemed blob design with this pair of shoes. These shoes were seen on the feet of the legend himself during the 1991 . The cut of this shoe is just a little bit to high, and its shape seems to narrow. Including the red beneath the laces was a nice touch and saves the shoe from being entirely white and mundane. However, once again, more color is needed. The best part about this shoe is the little logo on the upper side. However, one of the worst parts about this shoe is the dingy gray that the logo is located. Seriously, you think and would have learned to throw some more color a shoe by design seven. I guess not. The Air XX was release prior to the 2004 , and it is clear that it attempts to have a whole lot going on such a small space. On the front, there is a plastic like material that is nothing short of glistening. Smack dab the middle of the shoe looks like a felt like design that has no business being there. However, despite that, the rest of the shoe is pretty well off. The dark red at the top part of the shoe is a very nice touch, and is probably the best part of the sneaker altogether. I’m inclined to classify this shoe as absolutely ugly, yet thinking back to some of the other designs we have seen already, this one does not seem bad. Why couldn’t they just leave out the ill-thought tongue design? sported this shoe during the 1988 . This shoe is a slightly evolved design of the Air III, and while it looks a little bit better because the speckled gray design is strategically placed, this one again lacks the wow factor. Where is the symbol? How about a little more use of color? Why use more gray than red? Additionally, the high rise flap at the back of the shoe is something that this design could of done without. Sorry MJ. Sorry . Not a big fan of this one. wore the Air during the 1990 , and it is a design where the blobs are actually working. As we saw with the Air V, a blob can ruin a design, but this time, they make the shoe because of the number of occurrences. Additionally, the design at the sole is simply awesome. The red and white waves are absolutely sick. This shoe is the perfect cut, not to high, not too low, and the absence of air holes at the tip of the shoe were a great move. The design of this shoe could have benefited from a little more action the main part, but the blobs justifiably prevent that from happening. Nice work here MJ. The Air VIII, which he wore the 1992 is improved version of the Air IV. There is a lot of action going on toward the bottom, almost tie dye like toward the heel. and once again incorporated the infamous blob design, but this time it works, especially one right near the top. The strap toward the top is something this shoe could have done without. However, the color and design beneath the laces is absolutely incredible. A solid shoe design here. The Air XIV was released for the 1998 , and what a release it was. This design is one that incorporates more red into it, which is a plus and refreshing change from the design’s that were almost solely black, gray or white. The red designs at the bottom of the shoe certainly liven it up a bit and while there are a lot of air holes, the prolific manner which they are displayed allows it to not be considered overkill. color could have really helped this design because it gets a little monotonous the middle and top, but all the same, it is one of the better looking shoes of the Air line. The Air XV was released for the 1999 and was a perfect way to kick off the start of a new millennium. There is not a lot of color besides black and a bit of silver within this design, but it is incredibly modern looking, fitting for the time. It is simple, yet exciting at the same time. It instills a sense of power with its sheek look and design. And as previously stated, there is only a bit of silver, but it really accents the shoe well and furthers the design’s clear innovative nature. This two-color design does not fail to impress, and it’s a shame we did not get to see himself sport these on the court. wore the the Air XIII throughout the 1997 , and I’m not sure if it’s because of the boring nature of the designs from the previous two years, but this one is certainly a great shoe. The mixture of black and white was done that there was not too much of either one area. There are multiple bubble like shapes on the shoe that really liven up the middle, and the bottom part of the design is fantastic with just a hint of red to liven it up a bit. This shoe’s cut is also very solid and something that and have been proud to market because it is very easy around the eyes unlike some of the previous designs we have seen. The Air XX3 be attempting to hypnotize consumers with its mysterious design on the side, and it fact work. Released for the 2007 , this pair of ‘s has a lot of stuff going on. The design near the bottom of the shoe is captivating, and the way the red fades into black near the toe is flawless. As for the design on the side of the shoe, and take a risk here, but it pays off. It makes the shoe seem very busy, almost wild, but it works. To keep theme, the shoe laces would have been better off coming red or black. Overall though, this shoe is very fashionable and quite interesting to look at. and swung for the fences on this one, and they more than hit it dead on. Released for the 2005 , the Air XXI is a shoe design that we can get on board with. Finally, after most of the other designs opted to keep it matched, this pair throws red laces into abyss of white, and it looks good. The black design at the bottom of the shoe is very likable as well. What really separates this pair is the way that the No. 23 is almost looks branded onto the back end of the shoe. This feature is very impressive. and got it right with this one. The Air XVIII, which is the one wore the 2002 , is a flap design done right. This shoe has a suede like texture to it that really works. The combination of black and blue is done flawlessly and the infamous flap is not as obnoxious as we have seen previous designs. Furthermore, the No. 23 near the top is a very nice tough, as is the cut of the shoe, which is at a perfect height. It’s a fairly simple design, but fairly simple worked like absolute charm this case. Give and props for this design because it not only kept the athletes playing but kept them looking stylish. The Air 2010 is a really bold and slightly risky design, yet it is very effective. Red, white and black are all this shoe needs to pull it together, and the uneven pattern which they appear suits the design perfectly. The tongue of this shoe can be pulled up to a moderate height, which is very good. Additionally, the red lining at the bottom of the shoe has this cracked texture that makes it very fashionable. And let’s not forget transparent circle the middle of the shoe. Is its purpose to let the foot breathe a little more, or is it just attempt at designing something extreme? Who cares is response. It looks awesome. This design is clearly a very liberal one, and I for one am shocked the smooth material near the toe does not have a wild design with it. That could have possibly been overkill. As previously noted, seemed to take a risk with this one, and it definitely paid off. sported the Air I for two seasons, spanning from 1984, and we can understand why he did. The first shoe ever ‘s line is also the best one of its kind. It had just the right balance of color between red, white and black. ‘s symbol was strategically placed, and the design has it continuing on to the back of the heel which was simply a stroke of genius. Additionally, the high rise design makes it seems as if this shoe is ready to come up to your knees. It is the type of shoe that can keep almost full rise sock ridden, making it extremely fashionable. And absolutely timeless. Copyright © 2018 Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. is part of Bleacher Report – Turner Sports Network, part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Network. Certain photos copyright © 2018 Getty Images. 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