Rating Every Air Jordan Shattered Backboard Release
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After a decade-long wait that somehow feels both like yesterday and a millennium ago, the Air Jordan 1 Shattered Backboard returns in its original form. Well, it’s original in the way that any retro is original in 2025: the essence is mostly there, but there are changes both subtle and not-so-subtle that remind you what you have is not the “OG.” It’s not a Sneaker of Theseus situation quite yet, so no need to get into some sort of existential crisis about what is and isn’t a Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1 High. A Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1 Mid or an Air Jordan 1 Low? That’s a different story…
In the years since the original Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1 High, Nike and Jordan Brand have made no secret of their love for its success. In that time, they have dropped over 20 variations of orange, black, white/sail Jordans to satiate the FOMO a lot of sneakerheads experienced once the resale price of the 2015 pair started creeping into obscene territories. While some of the elements that made the Shattered Backboard Jordan 1 so beloved in the community, like the quality and the storytelling, did not transfer over to the subsequent iterations, the demand was still there. So, Jordan Brand held out for 10 long years before finally giving the people what they want: a mostly faithful retro at a time when demand for Jordan 1s is the lowest it has been in the mainstream sneaker culture era.
As you may have figured out by now, not all Shattered Backboard Jordans are created equal. It has nothing to do with some of them being Mids or Lows or Team Jordans; some just do a better job of capturing the original’s energy. As a public service, we are unveiling the unofficial Sole Retriever Shattered Backboard Rating Scale. Use it as a guide the next time you’re browsing the Sole Retriever app and want to know which sneakers faithfully recreate the feeling of 1985 Michael Jordan shattering a backboard in an exhibition game in Italy 40 years ago and which ones feel like a bit of a cash grab.
Shattered Backboard Rating Scale (in ascending order)
1: Caught by a LeBron James chasedown block
2: Took a layup instead of a dunk, misunderstood the assignment
3: The Russell Westbrook on a fastbreak trick bag
4: A Nikola Jokic dunk in all its athletic glory
5: Michael Jordan dunking in a Wizards uniform
6: The one time Chris Paul dunked it over Dwight Howard
7: Blake Griffin throwing the ball through the hoop, aka the Mozgov
8: Young Charles Barkley barreling downhill for a monster jam
9: Shaq bringing the backboard down, delaying the game for 30 minutes
10: MJ shattering the backboard, creating a legend that’s being celebrated 40 years later
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 27, 2015
Shattered Backboard Rating: (10/10)
The hype for the original was on par with top collaborations and super-limited releases. Released around the time Jordan Brand was digging deep in the Michael Jordan archives for inspiration, like they were music buffs spending hours at a record store digging in the crates for that rare Japanese print of a Stevie Wonder album. There are so many ways this release could have ended up like the Air Jordan 6 Pinnacle Flight Jacket and been forgotten the week after they dropped. The above-GR quality, the novelty of seeing MJ in black and orange, and the appealing color blocking that looked straight out of 1985 all played a critical role in helping the release become the most beloved non-collab, non-OG pair of Jordan 1s of all time.
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Reverse Shattered Backboard
Release Date: October 8, 2016
Shattered Backboard Rating (8/10)
Capitalizing on the success of the original Shattered Backboard, Jordan Brand brought back the theme a year later with a swap in the color blocking. Now basically Chicago 1s but with orange and sail white, the “Reverse” Shattered Backboard was a worthy sequel and still commands a hefty sum in the resale market to this day.
Air Jordan 31 Shattered Backboard
Release Date: October 8, 2016
Shattered Backboard (5/10)
As the Air Jordan signature shoe approached middle age, Jordan Brand turned to the past for inspiration. With every Air Jordan in the 30s, each pair borrowed elements from its predecessor 30 years prior, beginning with the Air Jordan 31 taking its cues from the Air Jordan 1. While the Air Jordan 31 itself was a solid performer on the court, the idea of reliving the past felt doomed from the jump. All of the Air Jordan 31s that attempted to replicate a classic colorway fell flat and the Shattered Backboard colorway was no exception.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 Retro High Satin Shattered Backboard
Release Date: May 5, 2018
Shattered Backboard Rating (9/10)
Satin Air Jordans suffer the same fate as patent leather Jordans that are not the 11: they look pretty as display pieces but the moment they get a crease or a blemish, they lose a lot of their appeal. As is the case with plenty of women’s exclusive Jordans, the bigger sizes were in higher demand as dudes who couldn’t help themselves just had to buy up all the supply. It’s a fine remake with one glaring flaw that prevents it from getting a perfect 10: wearing it.
Air Jordan 1 Low Flyknit Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Shattered Backboard Rating (8/10)
For a few months between 2017 and 2018, there was a feeling that Flyknit was going to become a regular staple in the Jordan retro rollout. For every retro of an OG, eventually a Flyknit pair would come along with way better breathability and infinitely improved comfort. While people might have their hesitations for a low cut Shattered Backboard, being able to wear a pair of Jordan 1s straight out of the box comfortably supersedes a lot of concerns.
Jordan Defy SP Shattered Backboard
Release Date: 2019
Shattered Backboard Rating (2/10)
Jordan Brand’s non-signature output was actually at a critical high this time as open-minded sneakerheads applauded their deconstructed approach to lifestyle sneakers like the Jumpman Zoom Zero Gravity and the Jordan Defy SP. What didn’t work was when a color scheme that was familiar to sneakerheads, like the Shattered Backboards, was forced onto a new model.
Jordan Mars 270 Shattered Backboard
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Shattered Backboard Rating (5/10)
A mash-up of Air Jordans 1 through 5, the Mars 270 had its share of strong defenders amidst a sea of haters. With so many hybrid models around that time, the Mars 270 will likely fall into the forgotten pile of Team Jordans. However, for the Shattered Backboard colorway, the toe box that uses the same color blocking as the original was a nice touch and probably bumped up the score by a few points.
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Shattered Backboard 3.0
Release Date: October 26, 2019
Shattered Backboard Rating (6/10)
When rumors first started to float that an Air Jordan 1 Shattered Backboard was coming with the same color blocking as the Banned and Royal colorways, it caused quite the stir in the sneaker community because they wanted to see how that starfish orange would carry over. Well, people were excited until they saw the 3.0 would come in not just patent leather but crinkled patent leather. Looking like a sneaker dipped in cooking oil, the 3.0 became a litmus test to see just how much people were willing to buy any Jordan 1 that had the theme attached to it. Spoiler Alert: quite willing.
Jordan Why Not Zer0.4 Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 17, 2021
Shattered Backboard Rating (3/10)
The Russell Westbrook trick bag rating means that when he’s got the ball in the open court, literally anything could happen in equal amounts of good and bad. So, when his signature shoe got the Shattered Backboard treatment, of course you expected there to be hits of pink and highlighter yellow on it. It would have been un-Russ-like for them to not have pink and highlighter yellow.
Air Jordan 1 Retro Low OG Reverse Shattered Backboard
Release Date: August 26, 2021
Shattered Backboard Rating: (5/10)
Despite the OG shape and placement of the Wings logo, what prevented this particular pair from scoring a better rating was the use of orange instead of the starfish hue we’ve seen on other Shattered Backboard Jordans. From certain angles, it actually skews closer to the Chicago colorway more than it does the Reverse Shattered Backboard from a few years prior.
Air Jordan 5 Retro Shattered Backboard
Release Date: October 2, 2021
Shattered Backboard Rating: (5/10)
Also known as the Orange Blaze or Total Orange colorway, this release feels like sneakerheads throwing a nickname at a retro that doesn’t really need the Shattered Backboard moniker to stand out. Despite the translucent mesh material on the collar and side panels that we had not seen on previous Air Jordan 5s, the new design and the nickname was not enough to elevate this sneaker beyond a GR that just came and went.
Air Jordan 1 Low Golf Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 1, 2022
Shattered Backboard Rating (7/10)
Jordan Brand’s interest in golf started to pick up steam during this time as various retros would return in OG colorways, pleasing and frustrating fans at the same time. If you were a sneakerhead that also happened to enjoy a weekend round or two, being able to rock the Shattered Backboard 1 with the same starfish orange was a treat. The use of waterproof leather and suede does switch up the feel just a little bit, but the result is a solid entry in the collection.
Air Jordan 1 Mid Shattered Backboard
Release Date: September 7, 2022
Shattered Backboard Rating: (4/10)
It took a little longer than expected but the arrival of the Shattered Backboard to the Jordan 1 Mid meant that we were going to see the style in different color blockings that arguably should never see the light of day. For example, if you’ve ever wondered about the orange swoosh paired up with white or sail white side panels, look no further than this 2022 drop. Aaaaand now we know why they never tried this on the Jordan 1 High.
Jordan Access Shattered Backboard
Release Date: October 6, 2022
Shattered Backboard Rating (1/10)
Known mostly for being the Js that were on Shang-Chi’s feet during the bus ride fight early in the film, the Jordan Access is a lower-priced model that has some Air Jordan 1 vibes, sans the Swoosh. The result is a sneaker that will not pop up on the blogs too much because it doesn’t bring the hype. Where it falls short on the Shattered Backboard rating is the lack of Swoosh that tries and fails to mesh everything together.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid SE Reverse Shattered Backboard
Release Date: 2023
Shattered Backboard Rating (6/10)
When an Air Jordan 1 Mid drops in a colorway that references a popular pair that dropped in a High or a Low, the Mid is often pitched as an alternative or consolation prize. In a rare instance of the Mid actually standing on its own, this remixed take on the Reverse Shattered Backboard in women’s sizes swaps out the black swoosh for orange with a black outline, while the sail white collar gives it a distinct look that could maybe translate to a future Jordan 1 High.
Air Jordan 1 Mid Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating: (4/10)
Instead of letting the 2025 retro stand alone, Jordan Brand has been bringing back the Shattered Backboard style on a variety of models. Using the same color blocking as the 2022 pair, the major change here is in the materials. The patent leather and nubuck found on the 2022 release are replaced with an all-leather finish that should be a dramatic improvement to the overall look but don’t actually do all that much to distinguish themselves.
Air Jordan 1 Low Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating: (5/10)
The non-OG version of the Air Jordan 1 Low has had a number of hits through the years thanks to their close approximation of classic colorways. Released alongside the Jordan 1 Mid, this pair would have had a similar trajectory as the Royal Toe 1 from a few years back had it not been for the orange swoosh.
Air Jordan 1 Low EasyOn Shattered Backboard
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating (6/10)
Designed to help people with difficulties wearing sneakers in their usual format, the EasyOn platform is also known for having higher-quality builds than other general releases. The Shattered Backboard-adjacent look is courtesy of the now-familiar orange Swoosh and the use of a black heel counter. While thankful for the different take, it does highlight how uniquely special the color blocking of the original was.
Air Jordan 1 Mid TD Cleat Shattered Backboard
Release Date: July 12, 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating (8/10)
Just like their golf counterparts, Nike has developed a habit of releasing cleats that look eerily similar to their inspiration in a way that actual retros are not able to pull off. It’s tiny examples like this that make people believe that the folks at Nike can be very petty and refuse to give the people what they really want. And if it wasn't for the upcoming retro of the Shattered Backboards this week, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more of these get a sole swap.
Air Jordan 1 Low TD Cleat Shattered Backboard
Release Date: July 12, 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating (7/10)
Example #2 of Nike being perfectly capable of giving people what they actually want but saving it for down the road. Outside of the golf pair, these cleats might be the example of the Shattered Backboard 1s in a Low so far. I’d be shocked if sole swaps of these don’t start showing up on social soon.
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Shattered Backboard (2025)
Release Date: August 23, 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating: (9/10)
Yes, the shade of Starfish Orange is a little darker. Yes, the off-white sail upper is closer to white than it is to… whatever shade of white sail happens to be. Yes, the leather on the 2015 pairs feel softer even if that isn’t always an indicator of quality. Ultimately, Nike can choose to recreate the Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1 to the exact specifications of the original. They do not because they want the original to stand out and feel special. That’s the only reason this release gets a 9 instead of 10, but anybody who is picking these up this weekend will likely be very happy with their purchase.
And before we go, here are two more Shattered Backboard Jordans expected to drop later this year.
Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule Shattered Backboard
Release Date: 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating (?)
Jordan 312 Low Shattered Backboard
Release Date: 2025
Shattered Backboard Rating (?)
From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can't believe this is his life. After recently getting into Formula 1, he now has hot takes about who the greatest driver of all time is. Email: juan@soleretriever.com
