A Controversial List of the Best Orange Jordans Ever
To celebrate the release of what many would call the greatest orange Jordan ever, the Air Jordan 1 High Shattered Backboard, we decided to look throughout history to figure out the rest of the best.
We can argue back and forth all day long about the top Jordan colorways ever. It’s obviously subjective, and everyone has their own favorite colors. But if we take out Bred (because duh) and have a real discussion about the best looking Jordans by color, I think there’s a real argument to be made for orange. Throughout time, the Js with even just a little hit of orange… hit different.
Orange stands out, it pops. The color of clementines and carrots contrasts perfectly with darker or lighter fits, breathing life into your ensemble without saying, “PLEASE LOOK AT ME.” Looking at you, Volt.
Air Jordan 1 Retro x Solefly High Art Basel
Michael Jordan’s brother-in-law Carlos Prieto runs Miami-based SoleFly. Now, I’m not saying SoleFly gets premier Jordan collabs because of Prieto’s relationship with MJ but that wouldn’t be too much of a stretch. If the Nepo-Meter went from yellow (self-made) to red (you’re blood), I’d rate SoleFly… orange. Regardless of relation, SoleFly has put out some of the cleanest Jordans in the last decade and they’re always repping Miami. The AJ 1s they put out in 2018 lead the pack, paying tribute to the University of Miami with bright orange and dark green against a sail quarter. If you’re a fan of the Hurricanes or SoleFly, or even just the colors green and orange, you can also cop the shop’s upcoming Jordan 3 around the holidays this year.
Air Jordan 6 Retro Gatorade Like Mike
Michael Jordan and Gatorade took the world by storm in 1991 with their BE LIKE MIKE campaign, captivating the world with a catchy song and an impossible dream. Who wouldn’t want to be like Mike? Best to ever do it on the court, bunch of crazy cars, a cool billion or two, and a decent golf game. The only relatable thing about him is his below average swing at the plate.
In 2017, Jordan Brand paid tribute to the viral-before-viral-was-viral ads with a Jordan 6 in Gatorade orange and green, blocked similarly to the Carmines he wears in the commercial. As if these weren’t amazing already, added details like the Gatorade squeeze-bottle-inspired lace lock and sockliner graphic take these to championship levels.
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Gatorade Orange
After collaborating on a Jordan 6 in 2017, Gatorade and Jordan Brand came right back to the cooler to try a few more flavors on for size as part of the BE LIKE MIKE campaign. The brands released a pack of four Air Jordan 1s, each representing a classic flavor of Gatorade. The standout from the pack was the orange pair, though the other three all have little hits of orange on the tongue tag and the Gatorade lightning logo on the heel. These lean a little on the bright side but who’s going to notice when you win the championship and your team dumps a giant jug of Gatorade on you?
CLOT x Air Jordan 13 Low Pack
Long before Edison Chen’s CLOT brand was making crazy versions of Anthony Edwards’ AE 1 that we couldn’t even buy for some reason, he was a longstanding Nike collaborator. CLOT and Nike released a laundry list of co-branded kicks celebrating Eastern culture and weaving vivid storytelling into their designs. When it came time for CLOT to design a Jordan, Chen decided the only thing better than making one show was two and released a pack of dueling AJ13 Lows. The black and orange pair is a more traditional take on the 13, while the tan and rust-colored pair referenced the Terracotta Warriors, a massive installation of human-sized warriors dated back to third century China.
Air Jordan 4 Retro Metallic Orange
Maybe the most slept-on pair in the Metallic pack, these pandemic heaters pay homage to the Metallic Air Jordan 1s from 1985 and feature similar blocking. It’s a primarily white leather Jordan 4, with shiny metallic orange on the eyelets and Jumpman on the heel. The inside of the tongue, the tongue tag, and the Air bubble all get hits of orange. This whole pack still commands a pretty penny on the resale market but you can save a few bucks and still get a gem by picking orange over green, red, or purple.
Air Jordan 4 Retro OG SP Brick by Brick
Oh, you think these are red? Why, because they look red both online and in-hand? Well, you’re wrong and Michael Jordan himself says so, too. BMX legend Nigel Sylvester has forged a new path for bikers, building on the legacy of those before him and taking it to a new stratosphere with his Jordan collaborations. Just seeing Bike Air in the Nike font is enough to send chills, knowing where he came from and what he had to overcome to get here. His AJ 4 RMs were cool and his take on the Jordan 1 Low is clean, but he broke through with the Brick by Bricks. The colorway “is a testament to Nigel's belief in tenacity and progress,” according to Jordan Brand, which added, “His commitment to push boundaries, make the tricks bigger and the world better inspired the fierce Firewood Orange leather upper.” See, I told you they were orange. Kick rocks, just not in these.
Eastside Golf x Air Jordan 1 High Golf NRG
Michael Jordan’s favorite place to be was the basketball court… and the baseball field… and the blackjack table… and the golf course. He is a man of many hobbies, and with so many sneakers at his disposal, there’s absolutely no reason he shouldn’t have one for the links, right? Jordan Brand’s deep dive into golf culture has reshaped the culture, finally giving players something to rock on their feet that don’t look like spiked bowling shoes. Wonder if MJ bowls? Anyways, this collab with Eastside Golf offers a more dialed back shade of orange, one that evokes a late afternoon tee-time that spills over into a burnt sunset.
Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 Retro OG SP
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you. “Nope, doesn’t count!” “THEY’RE GREEN” “You’re doing this for clicks.” You’re all wrong. Ok, maybe the last one is right. I love me some clicks. But in all reality, the Undefeateds 4s absolutely belong in the pantheon of Jordans that feature orange. When you close your eyes and think of these shoes, you can’t tell me those orange pops aren’t one of the first things you think of. They make the whole shoe! Otherwise, they’re just a dark green 4. The contrasting hits of orange on the inside and outside of the tongue, the sole and Air bubble, and the pretty-much-mandatory lace swap take this 4 from ordinary to legendary.
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Shattered Backboard
Today (August 25) marks the 40th anniversary of Michael Jordan playing an exhibition game for Stefanel Trieste in Italy against Juve Caserta. This game would have likely gone under the radar in the grand scheme of things, with Jordan putting up a modest 30-burger against a bunch of Italian semi-pros but something crazy happened. His Airness went up for a dunk to wow the crowd and held on just a tad bit long, shattering the backboard into a million little pieces. The moment became iconic, and in 2015, Jordan Brand memorialized it with the Air Jordan 1 High Shattered Backboards, a nod to Stefanel Trieste’s uniform MJ wore on that fateful night in Italy. The rest was history, and ten years later, they’re back! …And restocked!
Drew oversees content at Sole Retriever and hates writing in the 3rd person soooo I'm going to stop. I've written for countless blogs and magazines, from Complex to XXL and everywhere in between. Spent a long time in LA, running content and working on branded collabs at The Hundreds. Now, I'm back home on the East Coast freezing my ass off. Email me at drew@soleretriever.com with scoops, story ideas, and size 13 heat.
