Retro basketball shoes have become sought-after fashion items over the years and demand has never been higher. Knowing this, sneaker brands have started to churn out new retro models every week.
If all you’re looking for is a cool-looking pair of shoes to wear, then this is a great time for you, but more discerning consumers also want some quality materials and craftsmanship out of their shoes. And here is where WearTesters can help out.
We review hundreds of performance and retro hoop shoes and there is no more discerning sneakerhead than Chris. He goes over every detail of a shoe and isn’t shy about ripping a poorly built shoe. So with all this being said, here are our picks for the best retro basketball shoes. You can also check out our list of the best retro Nike shoes.
Last updated 11.02.2023
Best Retro Basketball Shoes
adidas Forum 84
This is the shoe that could have been the first Jordan. These shoes do faux vintage right. The materials on the adidas Forum 84 are excellent, including soft leather and furry suede. On top of that, they boast some cool, old school tech including the Dellinger web for “added bounce” and their x ankle brace wrap. Are they playable? No, but cool tech is cool tech. These are fresh, historic and a retro done right. Read the full review. Retail Price: $120
Air Jordan 3 White Cement 2023
The Air Jordan 3 White Cement 2023 is set to release on March, but we got our hands on an early pair. Much like the Air Jordan 1 “Lost and Found,” this version is dubbed as reimagined. It means that they’re going to try to be as close to the original release as possible. And we think Jordan Brand achieved just that. From the leather upper to the tech specs, it feels like you got a pair from 1988. Read the full review. Retail Price: $210
Air Jordan 2 Chicago 2022
The Air Jordan 2 Chicago 2022 wasn’t nearly as hyped as the Air Jordan 1 “Lost and Found,” but it should be. These give more of an OG experience than those. Previous Air Jordan 2 releases have gotten a Protro treatment with the inclusion of a full-length Air Sole unit. This one brings it back to the 80’s with a heel Air Sole unit and a polyurethane midsole. You might just feel like Mike with these. Read the full review. Retail Price: $200
Air Jordan 12 Playoff 2022
The Air Jordan 12 Playoff 2022 is featured in our Best Jordan Basketball Shoes list for good reason. They feature a lot of the stuff that came with the 2017 low top and 2012 high top releases. And really we mostly buy this for the nostalgia of remembering Michael Jordan dominate the playoffs on the way to a championship. If you do actually want to hoop in them, they’re one of the best retro Air Jordans to play in. Read the full review. Retail Price: $200
Air Jordan 3 Fire Red
The Air Jordan 3 Fire Red brings the 1988 experience to you. Some shoes carry the “OG” moniker when they’re marketed, but few are worthy of those letters attached to the name. This is one of those shoes that is absolutely worthy. It even includes a tech breakdown card, much like the original, and fantastic leather for the upper. We highly recommend picking up a pair. Read the full review. Retail Price: $210
Air Jordan 4 Canyon Purple
The Air Jordan 4 Canyon Purple came right in time for Halloween 2022. It’s technically a women’s release, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the suede used here is some of the best we’ve gotten from Jordan Brand. This is one of the few times that men and women sneakerheads both agree on a pair of sneakers as fire. Also, we know they look like the Nike Skunk Dunks. Read the full review. Retail Price: $200
Air Jordan 12 Royalty
You could play in these if you really wanted to. They are one of the best performance retro Jordan’s. These almost “Taxi” Jordan 12’s just look amazing. They feature a full-length Phylon midsole, a full-length Zoom Air unit, and a carbon fiber shank plate. They do require some break-in time, but all in all, a very solid pick-up. Read the full review. Retail Price: $190
Air Jordan 3 Desert Elephant
The Air Jordan 3 Desert Elephant garnered mixed reviews when it was first leaked to the public. Not seeing the usual elephant print there made it a little off-putting for some people. The pre-vintaged midsole look was also not everyone’s preference. However, after getting them in-hand, we can confidently say that they’re a great pair. The leather panels are really nice for Jordan Brand standards. The suede sections are genuine. There are polyurethane insoles. Read the full review. Retail Price: $200
Air Jordan 2 A Ma Manière
The Air Jordan 2 A Ma Manière is a more premium version of the classic sneaker that Michael Jordan first wore when he did the free throw line dunk. Collabs tend to give great tribute to the original while making enough changes to make it their own. This is the case with this sneaker. It even has the correct number of eye stays. Where it makes it different is the midsole design and the Wings logo. Read the full review. Retail Price: $225
Air Jordan 7 Citrus
The Air Jordan 7 Citrus is one of those sneakers that makes us want more from Jordan Brand. It’s a rarer case than most people realize. What makes these great is the nubuck upper. If you’re looking for a nubuck build, few are going to match this one. There’s also a full-length, top-loaded Nike Air Sole unit that makes these one of the more comfortable retros in the market. Read the full review. Retail Price: $200
Best Low-Top Retro Basketball Shoes
The Air Jordan 1 Low OG Mystic Navy was first released in 2015 and we get it again several years later. What makes these OG is the shape, at least the back half, and the proper way that the Wings logo should be done. The black leather sections are almost premium. This isn’t still a proper, true-to-the-OG release, but it’s close. Read the full review. Price: $130
New Balance 550
Flawless craftsmanship. This shoe was basically a forgotten model until these recently re-released. They feature no tech, just like the OG model. It features a rubber cup sole and an Ortholite insole with some EVA arch support for some added step in comfort. The upper varies in quality from colorway to colorway, and we suggest going with the collabs for the best versions. Aside from all of that, these just look great and are one of the most popular models of the past year. A real winner. Read the full review. Retail Price: $110
Air Jordan 11 Low IE OG Bred 2021
The return of the real Air Jordan 11 Low, 25 years later. These guys are almost identical to the original release. They feature herringbone traction pods, full-length Air sole unit and an all-leather upper. On top of that, the insole is polyurethane. They look amazing, the build is decent and the tech specs will keep you comfortable as well. Read the full review. Price: $170
Air Jordan 1 Low OG Starfish
A low Jordan with OG color blocking? That is an automatic win in our book. The materials are great, made to age with dignity over the years. They feature the greatest traction of all time, an EVA wedge and an air sole for comfort and a rubber cup sole. They fit true to size, and all in all this is one of the best retro lows of the year. Read the full review. Price: $143