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It was a nearly impossible task: taking 25 years of sneaker history and boiling it down into a list of only 25 shoes. But since we know how much you all love and agree with all of the lists we do, we made it happen and ranked the best sneakers of the 21st century, so far.
Over the past two decades and a half, we saw Kanye West’s rise and fall in the sneaker world, Virgil Abloh’s collaborative work with Off-White and Nike completely change the game, and Adidas give Nike a serious run for its money during the 2010s—just to name a few things.
Michael Jordan and Nike created the blueprint for the industry in 1985, and since then, brands, collaborators, and signature athletes have snatched the torch and propelled the sneaker world into something beyond what anyone thought was possible. On this list you’ll find multiple entries from Kanye representing both Nike and Adidas, you’ll find Travis Scott shoes, you’ll find hype collabs that caused hysteria, and you’ll find some of the most widely available generic GRs in history.
While we’re sure you’ll agree with all of it and have no qualms, on the off chance that you do, we request that your grievances come with a list of your own. These are our picks for the Best Sneakers of the 21st Century, so far.
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Release Date: July 2008
Price: $150
The Nike Hyperdunk is one of the most transformative basketball shoes ever made. This applies to not just its design, but for how it redefined performance basketball shoes. Released in 2008, the original Hyperdunk contained Flywire and Lunarlite foam; this combination of materials drastically reduced weight and didn’t sacrifice support. The Hyperdunk was a quick left turn as opposed to the bulky, leather-heavy shoes of the ‘90s and early 2000s.
Its cultural arrival was just as big as its technical one. Kobe Bryant became the face of the hyperdunk—from the Beijing Olympics to the NBA floor, he aided the shoe’s space-age design, instantly elevating it to be an on-court icon. We also can’t forget the viral “Kobe jumps over an Aston Martin” ad campaign that cemented its legend, adding another chapter to its story.
The Nike Hyperdunk would go on to impact Nike’s next decade of innovation. It laid the blueprint for the future of basketball footwear, from the Hyperfuse, Kobe, and KD lines, to the latest models like the GT Cut 4. Teams at every level, from high school to the NBA, adopted it for its lightness, responsiveness, and universal fit.
Today, the Hyperdunk’s legacy lives on as the model that blurred the line between style and science. This silhouette deepened the relationship between player and designer, creating performance design that is the pinnacle of curation, changing how players looked, felt, and moved on the court. —Douglas Jase
Release Date: 1982
Price: $100
The 990 series didn’t start in the 2000s, or even the 90s. But that’s when it became part of the sneaker lexicon. The first 990 was the first $100 sneaker when it came out in 1982. For reference, the Air Jordan 1 was only $65 in 1985. The 990v2 then came out in 1998, but that’s a love-it or hate-it shoe for most. The 990v3 changed things when it came out in 2012. It was chunky—not a serious running shoe anymore, but a dad shoe. It was one of the first of its kind. Then, when the 990v4 came out in 2016, New Balance had moved past a niche or old white guy brand. It was catching steam with fashion people and those more rooted in sneaker culture. It would come in flavors. But the most important and popular version was the grey. It was the brand’s Air Force 1—not that it looked anything like it, but it was core to its identity and what you thought of when someone said “New Balance.” New Balance would go on to make the 990v5 and 990v6 in 2019 and 2022, respectively. The 990 would get collaborated on by the likes of Joe Freshgoods, Action Bronson, JJJound, Kith, Aime Leon Dore, and more. It would be worn by hypebeasts, purists, old folks, suburban folks, and city folks. It’s an everyperson shoe, transformative, but most importantly, it’s a quality shoe. And that’s why it’s stayed. —Matt Welty
Release Date: July 2022
Price: $2,750 (Low), $3,450 (High)
Some see this as the ultimate expression of sneaker culture. The high water mark. The crescendo of Virgil Abloh’s career. It was a crossing of all of his worlds: his love for sneakers, his work with Nike, his position at Louis Vuitton, and his legitimization of bootleg culture—on the highest stage possible. His 2022 collection, which was released posthumously, was a celebration of his life’s work. These Air Force 1s were made in Louis Vuitton’s factories and weren’t just premium “stock” Air Force 1s made by Nike. Pricing started at $2,750 for retail versions, but the brown Damier print pair only released via auction, selling for upwards of $100,000. There were also tonal pairs only given to Abloh’s friends and family. The pairs that dropped at retail, where loyal Louis Vuitton customers could only buy one pair (if they were invited to get them), were mostly two-tone. There were all-white and all-black pairs, and some flavor pairs too, including references to Bape. You saw a lot of actual fake pairs out there, too. In my mind, I imagine that Virgil would have loved to see that. We made it our sneaker of the year in 2022. Some people had an issue with that, because they said the sneaker was unattainable to most. It was priced out of the stratosphere, and now they all resell for over $4,000. Ultimately they were a celebration of Virgil—arguably his best work, and something to truly remember him by. —Matt Welty
Release Date: 2000
Price: $180
There’s no doubt the Bapesta gave the Nike Air Force 1 a real run for its money, pushing the boundary of its own inspiration. Created by Nigo in the ‘00s, this sneaker became the loud, unapologetic bridge between hip-hop, sneaker culture, and beyond. We’ve seen pairs worn by Pharrell, Kanye West, and Soulja Boy and honestly, my own introduction came from hearing “Bapes” by Soulja Boy and instantly wanting a pair.
The Bapesta did something most brands weren’t doing with lifestyle sneakers at the time: it experimented. With bold colorways, wild patterns, and patent leather finishes, it pushed boundaries far beyond the traditional playbook. Sure, the Air Jordan 11 is most known for its patent leather, but nobody had seen a pink or blue patent sneaker like that before. It was loud, flashy, and a flex—something that spoke directly to the confidence of hip-hop culture.
Beyond its design, the Bapesta’s influence stretched deep into fashion. It lit a fire under brands like Supreme, BBC/Ice Cream, and later Off-White, as another brand that proved that streetwear could sit on the same level as luxury fashion. It showed that sneakers could carry attitude, storytelling, and cultural weight all at once. And with collabs like the Marvel pack, the Bapesta blurred the lines between pop culture, music, and design.
At the end of the day, the Bapesta was a movement that made brands step up their creativity and made the culture louder than ever. —Douglas Jase
Release Date: September 2017
Price: $160
Believe it or not, we once ranked the Off-White x Nike Air Presto over the “Chicago” Off-White x Air Jordan 1. With the benefit of hindsight, we now can see that the “Chicagos” have become a cultural icon. But that’s not to say we got it wrong at the time—yearly “best of” lists are a snapshot in time, and in 2017, the Presto from the original “The Ten” collection felt like the bigger achievement.
Sure, the Air Presto always had a cult following, but it’d never been seen on the same level as elite Air Jordans or even staples like the Air Force 1 or Air Max 90. So, when Virgil Abloh worked his magic on the “t—shirt for your feet,” it elevated the silhouette to a new level of hype and appreciation.
Today, the “Chicagos” have clearly overtaken the Presto in terms of Off-White prestige, but the Presto still serves as a reminder of the power of Virgil Abloh’s original Nike collaboration and its influence on the sneaker landscape in the past quarter century. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: May 2020
Price: $100
I’m gonna steal a line from JLP for this one. Every once in a while a sneaker releases that pops the bubble of the sneaker world. It hits the mainstream and makes its way to your doorman or your grandmother or your neighbor down the street. There aren’t a ton of sneakers on this list that my mother has called me about, but you better believe that the “Chunky Dunky” is one of the few.
“I’ve had a lot of requests from people close, near, and dear to me, and then complete strangers finding my social media handles,” Jay Curley, who managed the project at Ben & Jerry’s told Complex in 2020.
It was released at the perfect time, firmly in the midst of the Nike SB Dunk resurgence, when just about every pair of Dunks was reselling for close to $1,000. The “Chunky Dunky” is the epitome of what makes Nike SB so unique: a brightly colored Dunk garnering heavy attention on the resale market. It was also one of the pioneers of the Swoosh sub-label’s attempt to go more mainstream by introducing collaborative partners like the ice cream conglomerate, Grateful Dead, and now Costco.
Initial leaks of the shoe were met with some pretty divisive remarks. It’s an incredibly eye-catching sneaker that looks like something a student would have created on MS Paint during their allotted computer time in elementary school. It’s dressed in faux cow hair, it’s got Ben & Jerry’s signature field and sky motif on it, and it has a bright yellow Swoosh that looks like melted ice cream. There’s no mistaking the Chunky Dunky for any other shoe in existence.
Not only did the Chunky Dunky drop at the height of SB’s new life, but it was also the height of sneaker pictures and videos on Instagram. As Brendan Dunne wrote in 2020, it “looks like a shoe made for Instagram’s Explore page.” It was no stranger to stunts either, as I’m sure you’ll all remember the time Hikment Sugoer went viral for eating actual ice cream out of them. This just added fuel to the polarizing Ben & Jerry’s fire. But love them or hate them, there’s no denying the fact that the Chunky Dunkys are one of the biggest sneakers of the 21st century. —Ben Felderstein
Release Date: December 2010
Price: $130
Many of the shoes on this list were originally designed with performance in mind, but few of them are still used for that purpose. One notable exception to that rule is the “Grinch” Nike Kobe 6.
The late Kobe Bryant debuted the “Grinch” Kobe 6 against LeBron James and the Miami Heat on Christmas Day in 2010, and basketball courts have never been the same since. At the time, the NBA’s color rules were still in place (they didn’t totally open up until the 2018-19 season), but allowed for exceptions on certain days: like Christmas.
Bryant wasn’t the only one to wear the “Grinches” that day though—courtside fans were also given pairs and could be seen wearing them throughout the game, creating a memorable visual that only added to the sneaker’s legacy.
That legacy lives on thanks to the retroing (or, “Protroing”) of the sneaker in 2020. Following Bryant’s death, but prior to his Nike deal expiring and lengthy renegotiation process, the “Grinch” returned not only to retail but to basketball courts across the world. Thanks to the ongoing popularity of the Kobe line by basketball players at all levels, and the Nike Kobe 6 in particular, we still get to regularly see this sneaker as it was originally intended—which seems fitting for the best Nike Kobe of all time. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: April 2012
Price: $70
The Nike Roshe Run’s takeover of the 2010s was something you had to be there for. Released in 2012 and designed by Dylan Raasch, the Roshe arrived at a time when Nike was known for visible tech and bold performance shoes.This time they put the blood in the back seat and made something essential. It was inspired by the calm and balance of Zen, and there was no unnecessary detail. It featured a minimal mesh upper, a lightweight Phylon sole, and no visible branding beyond the Swoosh.
What made the Roshe special was accessibility and endless colorways. Retailing for just $70, it became a blank canvas for expression, dropping in dozens of colorways and materials. It wasn’t built for basketball, running, or lifestyle hype—it was built for everyday wear.
Culturally, the Roshe Run became the first true Instagram-era sneaker. Its clean look fit perfectly with minimalist fashion trends and early social media aesthetics, influencing later designs like the Nike Tanjun and even setting the stage for the Yeezy 350s and Fear of God Nike collabs. Not to mention the Nike Elite sock pairing—if you wore those at the time I’d consider you a real one.
The Roshe Run’s legacy lasted about 2-3 years but its legacy is engrained for sneakerheads without a big cosign. Will it make its return? I’m not sure, but we’ll let time do its thing. —Douglas Jase
Release Date: March 2015
Price: $180
Adidas had its sights set on changing the running sneaker space when it launched Boost, its revolutionary proprietary midsole foam that was introduced in 2013. That same intention went into the Ultra Boost, as the brand had its sights set on creating the best performance running sneaker ever.
The Boost cushioning debuted on the Energy Boost in ’13, but the line really took off when it released the Ultra Boost in ’15. The Ultra Boost was the first to use Primeknit on the upper, which provided a sock-like fit that further added to the comfort of the shoe. The hallmark design of the sneaker was, of course, the Boost foam midsole that’s made by pressing together thousands of rubber pellets known as “energy capsules.” The result is a pillowy cushioning system that acts as a shock absorber for your feet. The tech-loaded shoe also has an ultra-durable outsole made from the same Continental rubber used for car tires.
Arguably the biggest moment for the model was when Kanye West co-signed the sneaker by wearing an all-white iteration during the 2015 Billboard Music Awards early on in the model’s lifespan. The sneaker immediately caught the attention of sneaker fans and instantly began selling out at retailers, with prices hitting around $600 on the resale market. West was so impressed with the cushioning that he wanted it to be included in his Yeezy sneakers.
It’s safe to say that the Adidas Ultra Boost put the brand back on the map during a time when things felt stagnant for the Three Stripes. Even after over a dozen versions released since the inception of the line a decade ago, the Ultra Boost still reigns as one of the most comfortable offerings in both running and lifestyle departments, and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. —Victor Deng
Release Date: May 2012
Price: $385
There are some that could argue that a Tom Sachs sneaker shouldn’t be on this list. And I don’t fault them—not that I’m validating the concept of erasing his work for his misdoings, but mainly because I just don’t care for him personally. And that’s OK. It also doesn’t wipe out the fact that he’s had some of the most important sneakers over the past 25 years. To say otherwise is revisionist history. Sachs is a longtime friend of former Nike CEO Mark Parker and their connection finally yielded a sneaker in 2012’s Mars Yard 1.0. It was an old school pair of Nikes in white, brown, and red, outfitted with a modern sole, and built for space exploration—or at least Sach’s concept of it. The sneaker was made with technology from Jet Propulsion Labs in California, using vectran fabric on the upper. But it wasn’t built as well as Sachs had hoped. The sneaker was a commercial failure at first. Then, the Mars Yard 2.0 came out in 2017. It became a cult classic, building off the story of the first Mars Yard, which collectors realized was a cool shoe. And the resale price jumped to astronomic levels. Some pairs of the 1.0 have sold for upwards of $13,000. The 2.0 was made a little bit more mass market. Pairs have gone for as much as $10,000 on StockX in the past. There was a 2.5 version that was weartested, a boot overshoe that could be cut away to a strapped version of the Mars Yard, and a cheaper GPS shoe that released at Kohl’s. In 2023, Sachs’s world came crashing down and he was canceled for being a dick, essentially, in his work place. Some of that faded. Some people still don’t mess with him. But Nike dropped the 3.0 this year and people are spending over $2,000 for them, and doing challenges to get the shoes. So they’re a shoe that’s very much still driving the market, whether folks want to admit it or not. —Matt Welty
Release Date: July 2019
Price: $130
The high-top version of Travis Scott’s original Air Jordan 1 collaboration may have more prestige, but the Low became the shoe of the masses. Well, as much as a shoe that sells out instantly time and time again, and sets Nike SNKRS records, can be considered “for the masses.”
There was a time that Air Jordan 1 Lows were looked at as second-tier sneakers—not with the same scorn as Mids (those are more akin to third or fourth tier), but decidedly less coveted than the high-cut versions. There were multiple reasons for that distinction, including less-than-ideal variations that strayed too far from the original 1985 build, as well as just a lack of any actual hype.
While some people championed the Lows all along, Travis Scott’s reverse Swoosh and earthtone palette changed the perception of the silhouette, making it not only acceptable, but in some cases, even favorable to the High. The rapper debuted the silhouette in a variation of its original “Mocha” colorway at the 2019 Grammy Awards, raging atop a WWE-style steel cage, and the Air Jordan 1 Low has never been the same since. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: September 2011
Price: $N/A
Years before the IP-era overtook Hollywood or Nike grails dropped like NBA Youngboy projects, dreams of an Air Mag retail release only existed through Spirit Halloween homages and online petitions. The lust for Marty McFly’s fictional hoverboard hightops got a rise out of NikeTalk moderators and cinephiles alike, creating a crossover culture white whale more matthom than Moby Dick.
By the late ‘00s, it was clear Beaverton brains had Back to the Future II on their minds or Blu-Ray, dressing the revolutionary Hyperdunk in thematic tones while having Kobe Bryant roll up at UNDFTD in a DeLorean. Still, color stories were merely a wink, with even futuristic Flywire and Lunarlon foam feeling lightyears away from LED lighting and auto-lacing.
But then it happened—twice. A 2009 patent filed by Tinker Hatfield, Tiffany Beers, and Michael Friton proved the preview for an authorized replica release in 2011, backed by Nike and Michael J. Fox himself. The Ebay exclusive—sans self-lacing tech and limited to 1,500 pairs—launched as an auction and raised $9.4 million for Parkinson’s Disease research. Wale wore ‘em, KD cameo’d in the campaign, and British MC Tinie Tempah dropped massive pounds on a pair.
The blockbuster sequel, a fully-functional pair in 2016, dropped to the tune of 89 pairs. Its fashionably late arrival kept it from competing with Adidas Yeezy Season 1 at NYC All-Star and NYFW—yes, that almost happened—but did introduce Nike’s new Electro Adaptive Reactive Lacing system seen soon in Adapt ranges. When it was all said and done, the drops drove charity and ignited imagination. In 2025, blockbuster sneakers are ascertained by thumbtaps and sports betting takes place in Waymos. Sometimes seeing the future come to life is as close to living a movie as you’ll get. —Ian Stonebrook
Release Date: May 2009
Price: $215
You can’t buy this Superfly-ness, like a shine is/Your Highness is performing; look how long the line is
Back in ‘06, magazine man turned marketeer Rob Stone sought out Jay-Z to do a track for Nike’s celebration of the Air Force 1 turning 25. Hov passed, recently relieved from Reebok duties and seeking a broader bag than mere verse money. Stone called Kanye West next, setting up a feature on the Grammy-nominated “Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been)” and a private flight with then-Nike CEO Mark Parker.
An airborne sketch session between Parker and West birthed the infant stages of the Nike Air Yeezy 1: a signature shoe shifting a sportswear market more interested in music and fashion than tomahawks or touchdowns. By 2009, three colorways kept boutiques buzzing and hypebeasts salivating, releasing at the peak of Kanye’s creativity and versatility of his output.
The potato head pair mashed nostalgic Nikes of the ‘80s with luxury palettes of the times. Tinker Hatfield heralded, Virgil Abloh assisted, the shoes spoke to the most marketable design minds of two centuries while stamping Ye as a mixed media artist and pop icon to be reckoned with. For a time, Ye was Michelangelo and Michael Jordan at once.
When considering the context of this list, the shoe meant something not just commercially but culturally. If you had a pair of Yeezy 1s you weren’t just cool, you were credible. It meant you had bonafide connections or the care to campout. As Ye professed and prophesied, that’s what happens when you make shit that’s timeless. Especially if it’s a time we’ll never experience again. —Ian Stonebrook
Release Date: March 2018
Price: $160
From Nike’s Vote Forward contest, a global competition held by Nike to reimagine the future of the Air Max, to now, the Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 is still one of the greatest shoes of the century. Back in 2017, Nike tapped 12 “RevolutionAirs” including Sean Wotherspoon, a designer and co-founder of Round Two Los Angeles, to celebrate Air Max Day.
The Nike Air Max 1/97 was inspired by Wotherspoon’s passion for vintage and with the help of his friends. One of my favorite things about the shoe is that Wotherspoon is not shy about how he collaborated with his friends to design the sneaker. In Nike’s Behind the Design series for the Air Max 1/97, Sk8 The Great, Ben Baller, A$AP Nast, Julian Berman, and Franalations, among others, are mentioned as Wotherspoon’s “focus group” to help him with the shoe. “I wanted as many opinions as possible,” says Wotherspoon.
There is just so much to this shoe. From the quality of the velvet insole to the corduroy upper and velcro tongue patches, Nike pulled all the stops. It was also a nod to all the vintage lovers, with Nike’s “Have a Nike Day” smiley face and colors inspired by ‘80s and ‘90s Nike sneakers and windbreakers.
For those who were lucky enough to get a pair, you know just how special this shoe is. Nike took a risk and it completely paid off, and to this day, the sneaker is still a grail to many sneakerheads. Who knows if Nike will ever do something like this again, but the way Nike tapped the community to make a shoe come to life was truly a special moment in sneaker lore. —Oruny Choi
Release Date: June 2015
Price: $200
No matter how much we have to take into account the recent controversies surrounding Ye, it would be dishonest not to recognize the impact his sneakers had on the sneaker culture. This remains true for the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350s. For simplicity, we’re going to be talking about both the Yeezy Boost 350 and the Yeezy Boost 350 V2, though you can argue that each version deserves a spot on this list.
The Yeezy Boost 350 was introduced in 2015 during the height of the brand’s Boost era, specifically with the Ultra Boost (which we spoke about earlier on this list). It was Ye’s second Adidas sneaker and one of two versions of the silhouette to release. The sneaker was certainly more wearable than their first Yeezy Boost 750 model.
There were only four colorways of the first version to drop, including “Turtle Dove,” “Pirate Black,” “Moonrock,” and “Oxford Tan.” Like the previous releases from Ye, they released in limited quantities and demand for the sneakers were high, typically reselling for four figures on the secondary marketplace at the time. The silhouette also had its fair share of complaints regarding quality control, with some fans reporting that the Primeknit uppers ripped and that the outsole wore down too quickly. That was not the case with the V2.
In 2016, Adidas dropped an updated version of Ye’s popular lifestyle runner, which addressed many of the issues of the first variation. In terms of the design, it retained its Primeknit upper, but had a stripe design that ran across the sides, which we recently learned the origin story of on an episode of the Complex Sneakers Podcast with Salehe Bembury. The brand also fixed the fragile tooling on the V1 by adding a rubber shell for this new version. It was also easily the most accessible, especially as the partnership between the two entities continued. Ye said that he wanted to make Yeezys available for everyone, and he really did it with this model. According to StockX, over 60 different colorways have been released, spanning from 2016 to 2023, with the “Carbon Beluga” being the final retail drop.
Even now that we’re two years removed from the last Yeezy Boost 350 V2 release, you don’t need to try too hard to find the sneakers out in the wild. That alone should serve as a good barometer surrounding the importance of the model in the sneaker space. —Victor Deng
Release Date: February 2005
Price: $200
When you talk about one of the most influential sneaker releases of the last quarter century, look no further than the “Pigeon” Nike SB Dunk Low.
Jeff Staple designed the ‘Pigeon’ SB Dunk Low to be the most quintessential New York shoe, which drew inspiration from the city’s unofficial mascot, the pigeon. This was not just through the grey-based colorway itself but even has the iconic Staple Pigeon logo stamped on the heel.
The “Pigeon” Dunk was released in 2005 as part of Nike SB’s ultra-limited “City Series” Dunks, which included “Paris,” “London,” and “Tokyo.” This one was limited to 150 pairs, and only 30 pairs were released on Feb. 22, at Staple’s Reed Space boutique in New York City’s Lower East Side neighborhood.
As Staple himself recalled on numerous occasions, fans began lining up for the release in front of Reed Space a week in advance in frigid temperatures in February. As it drew closer to release day, sneaker fans flocked to the front doors of the shop, which led to the local police department shutting down the block. As expected, chaos ensued as the crowds became uncontrollable. It’s been reported that knives, baseball bats, and machetes were present as certain individuals were looking to rob those who managed to purchase a pair after realizing that there was money to be made from the resale of the sneakers. Luckily, the police had arranged taxis for shoppers to enter directly and leave the neighborhood quickly.
A day after the events that occurred at Reed Space, the release made the front page of New York newspapers, with the New York Post citing the drop as a “Sneaker Riot.” Fast forward to present day, you’d be hard-pressed to find the “Pigeon” Dunks reselling for less than $30,000.
It’s worth noting that Staple and Nike SB have collaborated several more times after the “Pigeon” Dunk, including on the “What The” SB Dunk in 2007, the “Black Pigeon” in 2017, and the “Pigeon Panda” in 2019.
The release of the “Pigeon” Dunks marked a turning point in sneaker culture, where buying and collecting sneakers was more than just a niche hobby but became a cultural phenomenon among mainstream media. —Victor Deng
Release Date: October 2010
Price: $160
Back in the 2010s, signature basketball sneakers dominated the conversation. Rocking your hoop shoes with jeans wasn’t just an internet meme that Gen Z can’t wrap their heads around. It was expected. No other sneaker embodies that ethos more than the “South Beach” LeBron 8.
Fresh off of the heels of “The Decision,” LeBron had taken his talents to “Souf Beach.” He embraced his new villain arc with an iconic Nike ad channeling Charles Barkley. He hosted a pep rally and declared that the Heatles would win seven NBA championships. He needed a sneaker that would match the insurmountable levels of hype that LeBron’s move to Miami garnered. It was a hard task. Yet, footwear designer Jason Petrie was able to cook something up that did just that.
The “South Beach” LeBron 8 bucked tradition. We weren’t just getting a colorway of LeBron’s latest signature sneaker dressed in the Heat’s black, red, and orange color scheme. This dressed the shoe up in the unmistakable colors of Miami Vice. The Filament Green leather upper and hot pink laces (mandatory) made these certified neckbreakers, whether Bron was wearing them at a press event or Wale was getting a deep fried fit off on Instagram.
This isn’t just the undisputed best LeBron sneaker of all time. It’s in the conversation for one of the best basketball sneakers we have ever seen. Don’t let the resell prices on 2021 pairs fool you. This is the definition of a grail. —Mike DeStefano
Release Date: February 2012
Price: $220
We’d seen plenty of Foamposite colorways outside of the original “Dark Neon Royal” by the time the “Galaxy” made its debut, but none of them ever looked quite like this one. Styles like the “Coughdrop,” “Eggplant,” and “Copper” all took off as the model became a retro staple, making a shoe that was once a performance silhouette of the highest degree a full-blown lifestyle success. Yet those all seemed tame in comparison.
The world got its first glimpse of the “Galaxy” Foams at a 2011 Sole Collector event in Las Vegas, where the Penny Zoom Rookie model was launched. Longtime Nike and Jordan exec Gentry Humphrey (who was then Nike Sportswear Category Footwear Leader) hosted the event, and broke out a pair that closely resembles what we now know as the “Big Bang” Foamposite.
The original retail version brought in more purple hues, which worked even better with the theme and enhanced the glow-in-the-dark sole, and was released for NBA All-Star Weekend in 2012. The space theme was inspired by host city Orlando, and carried over into Nike’s on-court offerings, releasing alongside similarly themed LeBron 9s, KD 4s, and Kobe 7s. The entire collection was a hit, but it was the Foamposite’s launch that created mayhem across the country, with some retailers—notably the Foot Locker at the Florida Mall in Orlando—canceling the release entirely.
Adding to the infamy of the release was the individual who listed their car, complete with a full tank of gas, on Craigslist in search of a size 10.5 in trade. It became such a part of the shoe’s lore that when Nike brought the “Galaxy” Foams back in 2025, it held a “Trading Post” activation where fans could offer any item they could imagine in exchange for the retro sneaker.
Then there’s the influence. Not only was the sneaker one of the most notable colorways of the era, it inspired countless homages in the sneaker and streetwear scenes, from socks to backpacks to Nike itself even running back the theme for the following All-Star Weekend.
The aforementioned return of the model in 2025 didn’t inspire the level of passion of the original, but the shoes did still sell out, and have hovered over retail on the resale market in the months since. It may not be the best Foamposite of all-time (that honor still goes to the original), but there’s little double as to how much the “Galaxy” impacted the legacy of one of Nike’s most important basketball shoes ever. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: August 2017
Price: $300
Kanye West built and burnt down a multi-billion-dollar footwear empire in nine years. That’s facts. His need for the infrastructure and disdain for stability epitomized everything we love and loathe about Ye, from his abundant belief in his dreams to his destructive relationship with partners.
At Adidas, that hypertoxic, hyperbolic pendulum hit its creative crest with the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Wave Runner”: a Steven Smith-designed dad shoe that layered form, function, and edge like “That’s My Bitch” or “Sanctified” through fabric. More effective than the 750, less stepped on than the 350, the 700 lived up to its nickname by being cool, peak, and rouge all at once.
Irreverence inverting reference, the “Wave Runner” was a commercial hit and culturally relevant despite how scarce or saturated it appeared in the market. The launch colorway was an event in 2017 and force for years after. Kanye’s cancellation can’t keep resale prices below sea level today. Even so, Yeezy as we once knew it is no more, with Adidas all out on Kanye and Smith scorned no different than Jay Z or Kim K (though the two have seemingly reconciled recently).
When it was all clicking, the major brand backing and collaboration between two truly disruptive creatives flipped the decidedly boring dad shoe trend and made it splashy enough for Kenny Powers. To be fair, that’s something no other dad shoe or Kanye creation can claim. Memories don’t leave like people do and waves still don’t die. —Ian Stonebrook
Release Date: May 2019
Price: $175
If you’re talking about individual people who have been the most important to the sneaker industry in the 21st century, you would not be able to rattle off too many names before you got to Travis Scott. Of course there are the designers behind the scenes that make the magic happen, but in terms of front-facing personalities, Travis is right up there with the likes of a Virgil Abloh or a Kanye West—the only two individuals with collabs ranked higher on this list. Travis Scott has inarguably dominated when it comes to hype over the last half decade, as he continues to break records on the SNKRS app each time a new pair releases.
While his array of Air Jordan 1 Lows have certainly become more popular and more mainstream, the OG AJ 1 High still takes the number one spot for the best and most important Travis Scott sneaker release. Travis started wearing the mocha-colored Jordan 1 High during his record-breaking “Astroworld” tour. The Cactus Jack rapper was already ascending to the top of the hype mountain, so any AJ1—a sneaker that was similarly ascending to the top alongside Travis—would have garnered tons of attention. But it was the unique flip on the iconic silhouette that really created the monster that would eventually become his line of AJ1s. This pair was the first to boast the now-instantly recognizable reverse midfoot Swoosh and came accompanied by a hidden stash pocket on the collar and a debossed Cactus Jack stamp on both heels. In a time when the sneaker market was oversaturated with Jordan 1s, Travis was able to do something different and make his collab feel unique and fresh. Now, six years later, that signature aesthetic might be starting to feel old, but when it first burst on the scene, there was no denying its impact.
Travis popped out as a surprise guest during Maroon 5’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2019 as Scott flanked the band’s frontman Adam Levine rocking the AJ1 High. A week later, Travis hit the stage during the Grammy’s wearing a version of his collaborative Air Jordan 1 Low, but during the performance, the Highs shock dropped on the SNKRS app for the first time. A second release went down on his website for his birthday on April 30th, and then a third and final drop hit the SNKRS app officially on May 11.
In 2019, the Complex Sneakers staff got into a very heated debate about what the sneaker of the year should be. It was between this pair and the Sacai x Nike LD Waffle. I was fighting a pretty big uphill battle during the meeting caping for Travis, and the 1 High and eventually lost out to the majority. In the years following, I’d reference that decision and continuously say that it was a mistake, citing resale value, sneaker trends, and just general relevance of Travis and Sacai. I guess you can consider this blurb and this sneaker’s placement on this list as closure for me. One shoe is the number six sneaker of the top 25 sneakers of the 21st century list, one of them didn’t even make the cut. You know that gif of Michael Jordan’s security guard John Michael Wozniak shrugging during The Last Dance? Yeah, that’s me right now. —Ben Felderstein
Release Date: December 2000
Price: $125
Is the Space Jam an original Air Jordan or not? That’s a debatable question, but not one that has any significant impact on the legend of one of the most iconic Air Jordans of all time, let alone the 21st century. You know the origin story, but I’ll brief you on it quickly for no reason other than it’s fun for me to write about and likely fun for you to read about also. The sneaker debuted in the iconic 1996 film, Space Jam, aiding Michael Jordan and his team of Looney Tunes to take down the evil Monstars. Before MJ started wearing the Jordan 11 full time, he debuted the “Space Jam” colorway during the 1995 playoff series against the Orlando Magic. But that’s where the story ends in the ‘90s for the “Space Jams,” as the shoe never actually hit retail until December 13, 2000.
25 years ago, it was common practice for Jordans to release in the middle of the week on a Wednesday, and that’s exactly what happened with the “Space Jams.” Hype and demand for this pair was so high that students were skipping class, people were blowing off work, and malls were overwhelmed with crowds. It’s one of the major reasons why the Jordan Brand predominantly shifted its major releases to Saturday.
Nine years later, the “Space Jams” returned again and reignited a passion for retro Air Jordans that had been missing in the culture. It helped bring AJ11s back into the forefront and reminded us truly how pivotal the model is for the sneaker community. Lil Wayne even name-dropped the pair on the legendary track, “Forever.”’ A funny personal connection that I have to the 2009 pair, starts with me getting caught having a party in my apartment building when I was in 9th grade that same year. One of my neighbors ratted me out to my mom—who was very involved with my sneaker collecting—and my punishment for hosting the party was that I was never allowed to own a pair of “Space Jam” 11s while I still lived under her roof. So naturally, the first thing I did when I got to college was order a pair off Ebay to my dorm room at the University of Kansas.
Seven years later they dropped again with 45 on the heel, a call back to the original AJ11 sample, and a new shape that was meant to resemble the original version that MJ wore on the court. If you ask this writer, it’s been enough time since the last retro. Hey Jordan Brand, what do you say about another drop next year to celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary? —Ben Felderstein
Release Date: July 2005
Price: $N/A
Not only is the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 one of the best sneaker releases of the century, it’s also one of the most important.
The sneaker released in 2005 and was Jordan Brand’s first-ever collaboration. It was the sneaker that was the focal point to brands shifting from releasing product on their own to bringing in designers, boutiques, and other outside entities to create their own versions of products.
Even after 20 years passing since the release, the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 was on the pantheon of all-time grail sneakers. Only 72 pairs of the collab were originally produced and released via a drawing, and even then it was a process to obtain a raffle ticket. The sneaker was actually first confirmed in a 2005 issue of Complex magazine with Vince Vaughn on the cover. Undefeated released a Jordan t-shirt at the boutique’s LA stores for $50, and the purchase included a ticket that allowed you to get the Jordan 4 collab for free if your number was selected. For non-locals, there were a very limited number of pairs that were listed on Undefeated’s website for bidding, and prices hovered around $2000 to $3000, depending on the size.
Pairs also made their way to both friends and family of the brands, making it even more scarce for those who were chasing a pair. In the last two decades, the sneaker would regularly be listed on the secondary marketplace for upwards of $20,000 and more.
The Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 features a simple execution, as it takes design cues from a MA-1 flight jacket and the boutique’s militaristic aesthetic. It dons an olive green upper paired with vibrant orange hits behind the tongue and on the tongue’s Jumpman branding. It’s worth pointing out that the sneaker doesn’t feature many visible Undefeated logos on the shoe, aside from the Five Strike branding on the insoles and the boutique’s name embroidered behind the tongue, yet it’s still the store’s most recognizable collab ever.
To everyone’s surprise, the mythical Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 was rereleased in August this year as a nod to the 20th anniversary of its original launch, changing the way fans think about sneakers being “untouchable.” The rerelease was divisive, with purists arguing that its return would ruin the “grail” status of the project and devalue the original, while others said that the retro gave fans, both old and new, the chance to own a piece of sneaker history.
Regardless of where you stand on the aisle on its rerelease, the retro was largely celebrated and was one of the best sneaker releases of this year. It’s safe to say that the retro didn’t take anything away from the legendary status of the original Undefeated x Air Jordan 4, but gave a majority of fans the opportunity to own one of the best sneakers ever made. —Victor Deng
Release Date: August 2005
Price: $65
Some days when I’m walking down Prince Street to work, I fear the thought of someone running up on me with a mini-mic for an on-the-street interview asking for my all-time sneaker Mount Rushmore. But, as I stay prepped for the day, I know the “Tiffany” Dunk definitely holds one of those four spots. Yes—that’s including any Jordan, any Air Max 95—any sneaker, period. The Tiffany Dunk captures the absolute best parts of the peak Nike SB era: NikeTalk fit pics, a homegrown sense of virality before the days of social media, the hunt of calling every skate shop to try and piece together vague release info, and, most importantly, an absolute 10/10, no-notes execution on a sneaker.
The shoe recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and it’s not only aged well—especially in an era where even Nike CEOs admitted they may have rinsed the Dunk Low (we understand, not technically SBs) out of pandemic times—it’s now reached grail status for certain generations.
Think about what other Nike SB Dunks dropped in 2005: Rayguns, Oompa Loompas, Stüssys, and yes, the most formidable opponent—the Pigeon Dunks—but these pack all of those up.
It’s the kind of sneaker that, when you’re talking about collecting as an art form to a casual fan, you can show that croc-embossed, Tiffany blue sneaker coming out of that pink SB box, and they immediately understand why this little world we’re so passionate about exists. —Joe La Puma
Release Date: November 2019
Price: $190
When looking back on sneakers the past 25 years, it’d be pretty difficult to point to someone who has a bigger footprint in the game than Virgil Abloh. Abloh’s Off-White brand has released over 100 individual collaborative sneakers with Nike over the past decade on models ranging from iconic staples like the Air Jordan 1 and the Air Force 1, to more obscure creations like the Terra Forma or the Zoom Mercurial. Most of Abloh’s work with the Swoosh received acclaim, but there were certainly some misses along the way. That being said, there was absolutely no mistaking his work, and that’s what helped separate him from the pack. Whether it was the bold midfoot lettering, his patented red ziptie, or some exposed foam, Virgil Abloh created a look that was all his own and something that no one else could replicate.
Standing at the top of Abloh’s work with Nike is the first rendition of the Air Jordan 1 that he released: a reinterpreted version of the legendary “Chicago” colorway. It dropped in 2017 alongside nine other models to create “The Ten”—one of, if not the most legendary collections in sneaker history. Owning a piece of Virgil’s Nike work felt like owning wearable art. And since Abloh’s untimely passing from cancer in 2021, his wearable art has only continued to feel more and more special. As his collection gets older, it yellows brilliantly, creating a unique personal touch on each and every pair.
At the height of the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” hype, it felt like celebrities were receiving customized pairs from Abloh himself on a daily basis. You’d log onto IG in the morning and there’d be another new custom: the “AIR JORDAN,” the “AIR BEYONCE,” Travis Scott got a signed pair, OBJ got a signed pair, even JLP has a signed pair. It was the sneaker for celebrities to flex at the time, and the bold Sharpie details fit in perfectly with the writing already featured on the shoe’s midsole. If you can think of a celebrity who was relevant in 2017, there’s a damn good chance there’s a picture of them rocking signed Off-White Chicagos.
There was legitimate debate between these and the Red Octobers for the number one spot on this list. Part of what helped the Yeezy 2 edge out the Off-White Chicagos was the fact that it was an entirely original silhouette, something the world had never seen before. But for Abloh to be able to do what he did with a Jordan 1 speaks volumes in its own right. At the time of the sneaker’s release, the AJ1 was releasing in old and new colorways frequently, oversaturating the market with what was an already everpresent model. But the legendary designer was able to take one of the two or three most important individual sneaker colorways in history and give it a brand new take while still preserving its importance. —Ben Felderstein
Release Date: February 2014
Price: $250
Sometimes the folklore of a shoe supersedes the reality of it. Tall tales tied to the “Red October” Yeezy 2 are ample, ranging from rumors of a Willy Wonka-inspired Golden Ticket giveaway via physical copies of Yeezus, to talks that the actual online raffle posting preceded Virgil Abloh ever telling Nike they were doing it.
In an alternate universe, Yeezus sells more CDs than Life After Death and Nike never greenlights “The Ten” out of spite. That never happened. Thankfully what actually happened may be stranger than fiction.
On Sep. 13, 2009—mere months after the release of the third and final “Net” Yeezy —Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs. The Hennessy-sponsored decision was not a retirement announcement, but did result in a year-long public exodus and ultimately My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
Said album established Ye as a genius—an evil one at that. Leaning into the narrative, Nike cast Kanye as the villain in Robert Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant’s The Black Mamba short film in which West debuted the Air Yeezy 2.
Designed by Nathan Van Hook, the blockbuster sequel carried over the limited allure and long rollout of its predecessor, launching in two referential colorways after almost 18 months of teasing. Advancements in tech and culture tied to footwear and the internet made the Yeezy 2 moment much bigger than that of the Yeezy 1, amping up the volume around all things Kanye and his ability to drive demand.
That’s when it all went bad. Viewing Ye as an energy partner meant to brighten the brand halo as opposed to an athlete with a royalty structure or salaried designer, the throughline for a copacetic Kanye x Nike relationship was imploding. All the while, fans begged for more Yeezys while West claimed to be boxed in his ability to create. Fundamentally, he wasn’t wrong.
The success of the Air Yeezy 2’s cultural relevance in 2012 and failure to find an updated deal led to a 2013 bender where West went all in on Nike and the entire apparel industry. An abrasive album in Yeezus compared corporate clothiers to the confederacy while a 39-stop tour treated each venue like the Summer Jam stage in which Mark Parker was Prodigy and Nas at once.
Inside each ember of ether was the public knowledge that a third Yeezy 2 colorway still existed: the “Red October” edition rapped about by West and alluded to by Nike execs. Leveraged across SNL stages and Kim K IG uploads, the triple-red status symbol morphed from myth to megaphone anytime it was worn or mentioned. All the while, West was going at Nike’s CEO while taking meetings with other industry giants, eventually signing with Adidas in the fall of 2013.
The “Red October” Yeezy 2 was dead in the water, until it wasn’t. 24 pairs had already been promised to raffle winners weeks before West left Nike, leaving hope for more. A pump fake from Foot Locker’s launch calendar claimed they’d have pairs after Christmas, only to turn coal quickly. Finally, on a fateful Sunday in February 2014, SNKRS sent out a buy-now link via tweet to the infamous shoes, selling out in seconds and ending the three-year saga.
All the hype, hoopla, and name-calling attached to the “Red Octobers” resulted in more than insane resale prices, online stunts, and a flood of fakes. The power attached to Kanye’s orbit dominoed into colleagues, rivals, and proteges becoming key players at Nike, Jordan, and Converse. All the while, West’s work at Adidas instantly put Three Stripes back in the conversation, applying pressure on Nike not felt since sneaker wars of eras past.
In the end, Parker and Ye were both right. A brand rooted in sport couldn’t count on an artist rapping about fisting to face their company or soothe stockholders. At the same time, Ye was absolutely right in his ability to make and market as proved at Adidas, capable of delivering more ideas, output, and dollars than Nike ever allowed.
Thus, the “Red October” Yeezy 2 was the singular sneaker that actually impacted culture in every crevice. It spearheaded the transition of influence from artist to athlete both outside and online. Despite distribution being incredibly limited, it shook billion-dollar companies to the core, creating a world where artistic talent could take center stage and smear suits. Ye’s beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy indeed. —Ian Stonebrook
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