Is the Air Jordan 11 Cooked?

Few things are sacred in the sneaker world, and that’s never been more true than in 2025. These days, no matter how special, unique, or rare a certain silhouette or colorway is, it feels inevitable that it’ll eventually return for a retro release a few years or decades down the line. It’s nice, of course, that more fans will get the chance to own beloved models like the Wu-Tang Clan Dunks or the Undefeated Jordan 4s. But it’s also hard to argue with the fact that the scarcity of those kicks is a big part of what fueled their legend in the first place.

Which is why the way that Jordan Brand has handled the Air Jordan 11 over the years has felt like a notable constant in the industry. The shoe is considered by some to be the best Air Jordan silhouette of them all, a legendary sneaker that arrived at a legendary moment in hoops history (and cinema history, too: shout out Space Jam). It’s design is peak Tinker Hatfield, with a patent leather toe guard that is as beautiful as it is innovative.

While other iconic Js—the 1s, 3s, and 4s in particular—have waxed and waned in popularity thanks to a regular flow of re-releases, the 11 has stayed steadily desirable, thanks to a savvy and intentional drop model. Ever since 2011, with very rare exceptions, the silhouette has been limited to just one annual release around the holiday season—usually in a beloved retro colorway, or one that iterates on an original in some way. (Since 2018, there’s also been an annual new colorway in women’s sizing only released during the fall or winter.) But a recent campaign launched by Jordan Brand risks jeopardizing the 11’s rarefied lofty status for the first time ever.

Early November marked the release of a new 11 colorway, pointedly some time ahead of the annual holiday release. Dubbed the ‘Rare Air,’ it brings a common Jordan color pattern (largely based on pairing blues, reds, and blacks) to the 11 with a white upper, black sockliner, red Jumpman logo, and blue patent leather stripe. It’s a cool shoe and a worthy addition to the limited pantheon of Jordan 11 colorways. The problem? It was just the first of a large collection of 11s dropping over the course of the fall and winter.