Michael Jordan made his NBA debut in 1984. He was regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time by 1990, and basketball players, sports fans, and fly dressers all thought that Jordan sneakers were essential.
The unbeatable Air Jordan 5 was introduced by the Nike-engineered Jordan brand during this peak of sneaker and basketball culture.
The Air Jordan 5 was designed by Tinker Hatfield, who also created the majority of the iconic Jordan styles (apart from the 1 and 2). The inventor created an Air-soled, Jumpman-adorned sneaker that is distinguished by its large leather top, mesh sidewall inserts, and Sharktooth midsole by drawing inspiration from the fierceness of Jordan's angular playing style and WWII American Mustang fighter jets.
From the Air Jordan 5 "Grape" to the Air Jordan 5 "Transformers," we examine the top 5 Air Jordan 5 colorways that have been released over the past 22 years.
5 Best Jordan colorways
1. Jordan 5 Retro "Transformers" - $2,000
Created for Mark Wahlberg to honor his performance in the 2017 film Transformers: The Last Knight, the Air Jordan 5 "Transformers" is an extremely rare colorway. A Transformer logo-adorned outsole that illuminates in the dark and a Sharktooth midsole with an Optimus Prime theme are among the peculiarities.
2. Supreme x Air Jordan 5 "Black" - $739
The quiet twin of the "Desert Camo" is the Supreme x Air Jordan 5 "Black." This version of the collaborative design highlights the shoe's unique features, like the mesh inserts bearing the Supreme logo.
3. Jordan 5 Retro "Fire Red" - $188
The Fire Red has a high-end white leather top, Nike branding at the heel, and a silver reflective tongue. The sneaker's icy blue transparent rubber outsole, which has a hidden Jumpman logo underneath, and the red shark teeth pattern at the heel are our favorite highlights of this colorway.
4. Air Jordan 5 "Olympic" - $194
Jordan Brand redesigned the Air Jordan 5 in metallic gold to commemorate the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. The design consists of an ice-blue transparent outsole with a White leather top with Black and Gold accents. Naturally, those who were able to capture a pair of the coveted creps on their initial launch felt victorious.
5. Air Jordan 5 "Grape"
The Fresh Prince popularized the Grape pair, which has to be the most iconic color combination of the 1990s ever. It features white leather, black, New Emerald, and Grape. A delicate blue outsole and a teal shark tooth motif with a matching Jumpman emblem hidden underneath complete the look.
The Air Jordan 5 OG "Grape" is expected to be re-released on April 19, 2025.
In 1990, Tinker Hatfield debuted the Air Jordan 5, a design that was revolutionary in terms of both functionality and aesthetics. The AJ5's angular features, reflective tongue, and translucent outsole, which were inspired by a WWII fighter jet, raised the bar for basketball footwear.
However, the narrative doesn't end with invention; the Air Jordan 5's legendary on-court moments and indisputable impact on sneaker culture have solidified its history.
Selecting the greatest of the finest is difficult because there have been innumerable colors over the years. These selections showcase the styles that make the Air Jordan 5 as relevant today as they were more than three decades ago, regardless of whether you're a seasoned collector or a newbie to the sport.