Hard to top: Biggest tech and design innovations in Air Jordan history

A look back at Air Jordan history in advance of the AJXXX release in Chicago.

Thirty shoes. Thirty designs. Thirty evolutions. As the Air Jordan line unveils its 30th iteration, the AJXXX, we look back at history to pick out the high points of technology and design that has shaped 30-plus years of Jordan shoes. Let’s fly!

Air Jordan I: The shoe debuted in 1985, with Peter Moore designing the original Michael Jordan logo, wings surrounding a basketball, a fashion-forward design in its own right. Sure, the AJI had air in the heel, but the major shift it brought us was the black and red colorway that served as the catalyst for bringing color to the hardwood.

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Designed by Bruce Kilgore, this expanded on the first offering, bringing us Nike’s first basketball shoe sans a Swoosh. The design also introduced faux lizard skin and the tech included full-foot air.

Air Jordan III: This is where it all changed for the Air Jordan line. With MJ reportedly still unsure of his shoe deal and sneaker future, Nike brought in Tinker Hatfield to give him something new. And was it ever new. The III gave us the famed Jumpman logo for the first time and mixed tumbled leather with a faux elephant skin print, now the most famous pattern in all of athletic shoe history. The mid-top had a visible air unit, adding so many new features to the 1988 release that, along with MJ’s Slam Dunk win and hoop success, it solidified the AJIII and Air Jordan line as the pinnacle basketball line of all-time.

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Hatfield kept going with the ​line, adding the word “Flight” below the Jumpman logo and introducing mesh and nubuck leather to a basketball shoe for the first time. While the shoe possessed a similar cut to the III, a few design details, such as the hard plastic lace holder, gave the IV its own design motif.

AJ V: This wraps up possibly the most impactful three-sneaker run in signature shoe history. With inspiration derived from a World War II plane, we get distinct patterns and an asymmetrical collar. The translucent outsole also comes to hoops for the first time.

Air Jordans Through The Years

Air Jordan I

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An aesthetic-forward design and the latest in basketball shoe technology has signified the signature shoe of Michael Jordan since its inception during MJ's rookie year. The Jordan XX9, the latest in the long line of Jordans, continues that focus. Walk through the 29 Jordan shoes -- from the original Air Jordan I that was outside NBA regulation and incurred a fine every time MJ wore it to the introduction of the Jumpman logo in the Jordan III and the patent leather of the Jordan XI to the carbon plate in the XX9 -- in this Jordan-centric gallery.

Air Jordan II

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Following the success of the Air Jordan I, Nike released the Air Jordan II, a stylish kick with faux lizard skin that Jordan wore as he averaged 37.1 points during the 1986-87 season.

Air Jordan III

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The first sneaker to bear the 'Jumpman' logo, the Air Jordan III was reportedly Jordan's favorite sneaker. While wearing them, he won his second straight dunk contest and his first NBA MVP.

Air Jordan IV

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The Air Jordan IV was the first Jordan shoe released on the global market, where it became an international bestseller. Jordan had the shoes on for "The Shot" in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Air Jordan V

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Designer Tinker Hatfield said he drew inspiration for the Air Jordan V from WWII fighter planes. While in the shoes, Jordan won his fourth scoring title and went for a career-high 69 points against the Cavaliers.

Air Jordan VI

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Released in 1991, the Air Jordan VIs were on Jordan's feet when he won his first NBA title.

Air Jordan VII

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Jordan won his second straight title with the Jordan VIIs on his feet and, later that summer, brought an Olympic-themed version with him to the Barcelona Games.

Air Jordan VIII

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The Air Jordan VIII was noticeably heavier than previous versions, featuring enhanced ankle support and a unique fuzzy tongue.

Air Jordan IX

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The first model released after Jordan's retirement from the NBA in 1993, the Air Jordan IXs were fitted with cleats so Jordan could wear them on the baseball diamond. The shoes adorn Jordan's feet in his statue outside of the United Center in Chicago.

Air Jordan X

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The 10th Air Jordan model celebrated Jordan with a unique outsole that featured all of his major achievements in the NBA.

Air Jordan XI

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In his first full NBA season since retiring in 1993, Jordan wore the Air Jordan XI, a timeless model featuring a patent leather design.

Air Jordan XII

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Jordan wore the Air Jordan XIIs, a model inspired by a 19th century dress boot, during the infamous "Flu Game" in 1997.

Air Jordan XIII

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The Air Jordan XIII, nicknamed the "Black Cat", mirrors the padding on a panther's paw and features a hologram panther's eye. Jordan wore the shoes as he completed his record 10th scoring title and his second three-peat.

Air Jordan XIV

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The aerodynamic lines and mesh vents of the Air Jordan XIV drew inspiration from Jordan's Ferrari.

Air Jordan XV

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The first shoe released after Jordan's second retirement, the Air Jordan XV was worn by Reggie Miller in the 2000 Finals.

Air Jordan XVI

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With Jordan transitioning to a role in the front office, Nike added a distinctive off-court shroud to the Air Jordan XVI.

Air Jordan XVII

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The jazz-themed Air Jordan XVII paid tribute to Jordan's love of golf with a sole design based on a golf course.

Air Jordan XVIII

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Jordan wore the Air Jordan XVIIIs, which came with a towel, brush and "Driver's Manual", during his last game in the NBA on April 16, 2003.

Air Jordan XIX

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The lightest Air Jordans ever made, the Air Jordan XIXs were the first shoe released after Jordan's third and final retirement in 2003.

Air Jordan XX

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Nike celebrated the 20th anniversary of Air Jordan with the Air Jordan XX, a shoe featuring a laser-etched upper panel celebrating Jordan's life.

Air Jordan XX1

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Released in 2006, the Air Jordan XXI was inspired by the Bentley Continental GT Coupe, featuring lower-foot air grilles and a carbon fiber shank plate.

Air Jordan XX2

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The aggressive "radar" stitching and camouflage patterns of the Air Joran XX2 pay homage to the F22 Raptor jet fighter.

Air Jordan XX3

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The Air Jordan XX3 bears a unique hand-stitched exterior, a full-length bootie and articulated chassis.

Jordan 2009

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Inspired by Jordan's defensive focus, the Air Jordan 2009 uses unique technology to give players "unfair" responsiveness.

Air Jordan 2010

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For Air Jordan's 25th anniversary Nike released the Air Jordan 2010, a shoe with a unique translucent window that reflected Jordan's ability to "see through opponents".

Air Jordan 2011

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The Air Jordan 2011 featured interchangeable soles inspired by Jordan's versatile skill set.

Air Jordan 2012

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"Zoot suit" details set the Air Jordan 2012 apart, reflecting a young Jordan's brash and confident game.

Air Jordan XX8

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The Air Jordan XX8 features an all-black sleeve that conceals an inner neon green bootie. Inspired by stealth technology, it surpasses the XIX as the lightest Air Jordan ever made.

Air Jordan XX9

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Michael Jordan worked with legendary shoe designer Tinker Hatfield to come up with the highly technical XX9, featuring everything from carbon plating and specialized air configurations to a woven upper made in Italy to give us a distinctive 23 and Jumpman-inspired aesthetic. The lightest Jordan yet goes black and red to add a little Jordan nostalgia to the mix.

​​Air Jordan VI: With the Air Jordan line now solidified as the zenith of sneakers, the innovation was on. The VI​ brought together leather and suede, the VII introduced the bootie system and used Bugs Bunny in its marketing (a nod to the future and a strategy that would play well in the retro lines), the VIII offered us a lockdown strap, and the IV, released during MJ’s first retirement, was worn as a baseball cleat.

AJ X: This served as the return shoe for MJ, but the next major evolution in the AJ line came with later.  

AJ XI: Sure, we saw a return to a clear outsole, got introduced to carbon fiber in a support shank (quite the tech-forward move for 1996), and had the enjoyment of the XI as the Space Jam sneaker. But the true allure of the XI? Patent leather. The patent leather across the toe and wrapping around the sidewall gave the Jordan line a look never before seen, on or off the court.

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 retired for the second time.

AJ XVI: With Wilson Smith III now leading design, the full-length inner bootie was introduced, more patent leather was added, and a full-grain leather came into play. And before you blame the XX8 for all things shroud, it was Smith’s XVI that introduced a removable shroud to the AJ line for the first time.

AJ XVII: MJ's attire as a member of the Wizards kept up with the removable theme and offered up a pull-out lace cover.

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​​AJ XIX: The next major move came from Tate Kuerbis, with a Velcro heel strap and a new lightweight material for the upper.

AJ XX: This marked the return of Hatfield and ushered in an independent podular suspension cushioning system. The XXI had a diamond-quilted bootie, the XX2 a titanium-coated shank plate and the XX3 subtle nods to MJ throughout, including Michael’s thumbprint inside the tongue so wearers felt they had a connection to His Airness every time they slipped on the sneaker. The outsole was also modeled after his thumbprint.

AJ 2010: This was really 25, but the line switched to naming the shoes after the year for a few shoes. It gave us a clear window on the side of the shoe.

AJ 2011: The 26 was all about personalization, with the leather created so that if hand-buffed it could change color. Plus, the shoe came with two different cushioning systems in the form of two contrasting insoles.

courtesy Jordan

This iteration went with Flight Plate technology that combined Zoom Air and carbon fiber to limit the need for bulky foam. On the outside, a full-length zippered shroud made from material from Switzerland could be fully undone or tightened up, based on the wearer’s desire.

AJ XX9: Here, Jordan introduced Flightweave, a special one-piece woven material from Italy designed for lightweight strength that served as the precursor to Nike’s Flyweave, now found in the Kevin Durant line. The tougher-than-knit weave allowed the engineering of strength while getting creative with the design.

After 29 shoes that gave us everything from faux elephant prints, multiple air technologies, Kevlar, carbon fiber, titanium, shrouds, lace covers, straps, Flightweave, and a sneaker history that transcends the industry, the Air Jordan line took 2015 off as it readied the AJXXX in 2016. Here we go again.

Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, sneakers and technology for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.