From the 'Girl Dad' Nike Kobe 4 to the Travis Scott x Jordan CJ1 T-Rexx, we're taking a look back at the best sneakers from the first half of the year.
By
Zac Dubasik,
Brendan Dunne,
Mike DeStefano,
Ben Felderstein,
Matt Welty
Jun 18, 2024
BY State Farm®
Brand Publisher
Via Complex
That was fast. Maybe it’s just us, but it felt like the first half of this year went quicker than a sneaker drop for a limited edition collab hosted by a totally unprepared boutique. Speaking of sneaker drops, 2024 has had its share of exciting and, thankfully, diverse ones. People aren’t as singularly focused on Dunks as they were a couple years back. Adidas is proving it doesn’t need Ye to be successful. And smaller challenger brands like Asics and New Balance are continuing to capitalize on the Y2K running trend with general releases and collabs alike. (Sorry On, maybe one day.) Since we’re at the mid-year mark, we’ve taken on the arduous task of creating a (totally subjective but still very important and authoritative) list of the best sneakers to release so far this year. Note that, as always, we’re reserving the right to switch around these rankings come the end of the year—what was exciting in January may have spoiled come July.
Via Complex
That was fast. Maybe it’s just us, but it felt like the first half of this year went quicker than a sneaker drop for a limited edition collab hosted by a totally unprepared boutique. Speaking of sneaker drops, 2024 has had its share of exciting and, thankfully, diverse ones. People aren’t as singularly focused on Dunks as they were a couple years back. Adidas is proving it doesn’t need Ye to be successful. And smaller challenger brands like Asics and New Balance are continuing to capitalize on the Y2K running trend with general releases and collabs alike. (Sorry On, maybe one day.) Since we’re at the mid-year mark, we’ve taken on the arduous task of creating a (totally subjective but still very important and authoritative) list of the best sneakers to release so far this year. Note that, as always, we’re reserving the right to switch around these rankings come the end of the year—what was exciting in January may have spoiled come July.
10. Air Jordan 17 Low 'Lightning'
Via Complex
Release Date: 5/30/24
Price: $300
When you think of the highs of Michael Jordan’s basketball career, the year 2002 probably doesn’t pop into your head. By that point, he was a legacy act on the Washington Wizards. The same sentiment rings true for the Air Jordan line. A lot of those non-OG colorways from the 2000s haven’t stood the test of time like a pair of “Black Cement” 3s or “Playoff” 11s have. But there are always exceptions to a rule. The “Lightning” 17 Low is one of them. The pair is a welcome dose of nostalgia for the people who were there, while simultaneously looking interesting enough to pique the interest of the younger generation who was in diapers when it first hit store shelves over two decades ago.
These were hard to get. They only released at select NBHD stores in limited quantities. There wasn’t even a SNKRS drop. For a non-collab Air Jordan retro, that’s pretty shocking. There’s also the $300 price tag (yikes) and the silver briefcase of Air Jordan 17 fame (the original 17 Lows didn’t come in one, but who really cares). Despite some of this pair’s cons, collectors still flocked to boutiques across the country in hopes of owning a pair. These are the definition of a cult classic. –Mike DeStefano
9. Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R 'Rosewater'
Via Complex
Release Date: 5/31/24
Price: $185
This might be a controversial choice on this list. Not because people don’t like the shoe, but rather because it was so difficult to purchase off Action Bronson’s website. The 1906R is having a moment right now for New Balance and adding Bronson’s name and design ethos to it pushed the model over the top. This colorway, Bronson said, was inspired by rosewater, but also by women’s colorways on running shoes in the ‘90s. They have a white base, with hits of pink, blue, orange, green. It’s the first of three colorways Bronson has done on the shoes to release to the public and builds on the success of his 990v6s from last year. It’s mainstream, it’s niche. It’s hard to get. It’s something people want, something that others can’t understand. A sneaker of many emotions. But it’s perfectly summer—mesh Boyz Summer, that is. —Matt Welty
8. Nike Air DT Max 96
Via Complex
Release Date: 2/10/24
Price: $170
The timing on this shoe feels just right. The DT Max ‘96, an aggressive Deion Sanders trainer from decades ago with a midfoot strap and an Air Max bubble on back, is peak ’90s Nike. It’s a welcome reminder that Nike retro does not begin and end at the Dunk. It’s the kind of perfectly nostalgic footwear design that deserves a regular bring back, and it feels all the more special in 2024 thanks to Deion Sanders’ re-emergence as a college football coach. His tenure with the Colorado Buffaloes feels in some way destined thanks to the University of Colorado’s color palette, which just happens to align with some of the original colorways used on Sanders’ Nike models. So too does his reunion with Nike—Sanders was publicly bashing the brand in 2010s but has since re-signed. They’re back together, he’s back making headlines, and a new generation of sneaker lovers is perfectly primed to enjoy this powerful Nike archival model. What better time than now? —Brendan Dunne
7. Air Jordan 4 'Industrial Blue'
Via Complex
Release Date: 5/4/24
Price: $215
We’re not calling these the “Industrial Blue” Air Jordan 4s, no matter how hard Nike was trying to make it happen. They’re the “Military Blue” 4s, and that’s that. That’s the name of the original shoe and what it even says on the 2024 retro’s box. With that said, Nike brought this shoe back for the third time since its original release in 1989. The “Military Blue” 4 is the only original Air Jordan 4 that wasn’t done in Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls uniform colors. There are also no pictures of him wearing it ever. But it still holds a special place in the hearts of collectors. The 2006 retro of the shoe wasn’t great. The 2012 retro was slightly better, but was slept on because it released the same day as the Yeezy 2s. Now Jordan Brand brought the shoe back in true form to make it more like the original pair, with Nike Air on the back. They look good. The 4 is the hottest Air Jordan at the moment, and it’s a good shoe to wear all summer long. You’ll never get too old to wear these. So get a pair. —Matt Welty
6. Nike Kobe 4 'Girl Dad'
Via Complex
Release Date: 6/7/24
Price: $190
The “Girl Dad” Nike Kobe 4 represents the perfect intersection of aesthetics and storytelling. Even when it first leaked, and long before the theme was known, fans were clamoring to get their hands on the dark green edition of Kobe Bryant’s first low-top signature model. Why? It just looked great. As previously seen with the black “Gift of Mamba” colorway, the Kobe 4 has proven itself to be a worthy lifestyle silhouette—particularly for a shoe originally designed specifically for performance and using Nike’s then-latest tech. But then the story came out, and it resonated on a whole different level.
The images that the colorway was inspired by, of Kobe sitting courtside with his daughter Gianna, have become entrenched in our minds in the years since their passing. What was probably a typical Sunday for the pair now stands as a lasting memory of a father and daughter taken too soon. The colorway itself, or the same story with a different look, could have each succeeded on their own, but the combination makes this a truly special sneaker. —Zac Dubasik
5. Travis Scott x Jordan CJ1 T-Rexx
Via Complex
Release Date: 4/30/24
Price: $200
Travis Scott’s sneaker history with Nike and the Jordan Brand has already reached legendary status. The sheer number of products the two have put out together is impressive in its own right, but it is one of the few partner combinations that hasn’t really seemed to have lost its hype — each release sells out and they are still breaking records on the SNKRS app. It was only a matter of time that Travis was to get a silhouette of his own, which has finally arrived by way of the CJ1 T-Rexx, or maybe it’s the Jumpman Jack, or maybe it’s the Cut the Check. While the jury might still be out on the exact name of this brand new silhouette, the model’s first release proves that the superstar rapper wasn’t just relying on Jordan’s iconic silhouettes to move product, he has the juice with a model of his very own as well.
The CJ1 isn’t anything too groundbreaking in terms of design— it of course still features Travis’ signature reverse Swoosh and earthy color palette. It also bears a striking resemblance to other past Nike models, like Kanye’s Air Yeezy 2 or other trainers like Andre Agassi’s Air Tech Challenge 2. Travis, Nike, and Jordan are smart about this partnership at this stage of it, they know exactly what works and how to appeal to Scott’s diehard fans as well as the broadest version of sneaker collectors out there. They didn’t really take any risk with Scott’s first shoe, but they also really didn’t have to. —Ben Felderstein
4. Nina Chanel Abney x Air Jordan 3
Via Complex
Release Date: 6/13/24
Price: $225
Collaborating on a sneaker as revered as the Air Jordan 3 can be seen as something of a cheat code. Those fortunate enough to give their interpretations to the model basically just need to not screw it up—it’s an opportunity for an easy hit. Not only did Nina Chanel Abney not screw it up though, she actually took chances and delivered something that we’d never seen before when it comes to the silhouette. Abney stripped the Jordan 3 of its signature leather and elephant print elements and reworked it using the bold and surreal style her art is known for. The bright green upper looks like it could have come straight from one of her paintings, and is enhanced by the use of suede and canvas to highlight the multiple textures of the original design. Detailing like the removable orange tag and blocky heel logo further differentiate it from less ambitious collabs. The accompanying apparel collection, often an afterthought to sneaker fans when it comes to collaborative projects, was even notable, and modeled by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. The sneaker’s recent release date makes it hard to fully judge its impact, and the release day issues don’t help it, but this has the potential to climb even higher on this list by the year’s end. —Zac Dubasik
3. Futura x Nike SB Dunk Low
Via Complex
Release Date: 5/18/24
Price: $135
The Nike SB boom of the 2020s brought the Swoosh skateboarding division to new pop cultural levels, offering up shoes with iconic brands like and Polaroid. The strategy was something of a shift—SB always had kept a winking eye on mainstream culture, riffing on popular shows and figures with unofficial colorways and lowkey references, but its proper collaboration shoes generally tended to align the brand with more subcultural entities. Think 2000s special editions with MF DOOM and Supreme, which was then still a mostly underground phenomenon. SB hasn’t forgotten about that foundation, and returned to old form this year with a new collab with Futura, a hip-hop pioneer and graffiti writer whose work with Nike goes back 20 years. Their latest shoe, a white-based Dunk that’s decorated with sections of an old Futura piece, is not groundbreaking, but rather a clean, relatively simple reminder of SB’s heyday. It is, like the SB Dunk at its core, a vision from Nike’s past glimpsed from far in the future. —Brendan Dunne
2. Air Jordan 4 'Bred Reimagined'
Via Complex
Release Date: 2/17/24
Price: $215
This isn’t the sexiest pick for such a high slot, but sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles to be one of the best sneakers of the year (so far). A lot of people (this writer included) will tell you that the nubuck “Bred” Air Jordan 4 is their favorite Air Jordan ever. It’s about as close to perfect as a sneaker can get. It’s so perfect that it felt like sacrilege when it was announced that Jordan Brand would be reimagining it with tumbled leather uppers. Some people still haven’t quite come around to the idea. But ultimately, you see these things everywhere. They’re super wearable, maybe even more so than the originals because they are easier to clean—the leather wipes down way better than nubuck. Just to be clear, we’ll still take a pair of nubuck “Bred” 4s over these, but you can’t be mad at the Reimagined version. As mass as this release was, it doesn’t feel watered down either. It’s just nice to see so many people getting to actually wear such a great sneaker. After all, that’s what this is all about, right? –Mike DeStefano
1. Adidas AE1
Via Complex
Release Date: 2/16/24
Price: $120
If anyone told you just 12 months ago that an Adidas Basketball model was a serious contender for the best, most interesting sneaker of 2024, you probably wouldn’t believe them. Adidas is a capable brand with a rich archive, but its basketball shoes haven’t often been more than middling in the past decade. Plus, it’s been well documented that people really don’t care that much about performance basketball sneakers right now. And while it’s mostly shaken the stigma off, the post-Yeezy slump is a real thing.
All of which makes the Adidas AE1, the first signature shoe for Anthony Edwards, that much more impressive. (Technically the sneaker debuted at the end of 2023, but arrived after we’d made our “best of” rankings for that year, and hence is qualified for this year.) The shoe manages to look contemporary and teched-out without appearing overwrought, unlike a lot of Nike’s basketball sneakers from the past few years. And it’s been lifted by Edwards’ electric play. The ads helped too, some of them Air Jordan-esque (yeah, we said it) in their ability to imbue a shoe with emotion. The campaigns accidentally pitted one of the NBA’s brightest young superstars against Cam’ron, instigating a mini battle over Adidas’ marketing. The Adidas AE1 is admittedly not that salient in the real world—you’ll see less people wearing these outside than a lot of other big entries on this list—but it is nonetheless the most interesting, refreshing, and best sneaker this year has given us. Believe that. —Brendan Dunne
AdidasAir Jordan 17 LowNew BalanceNike Kobe 4Air Jordan 4Air JordanAnthony EdwardsNike SbNike SB Dunk LowFuturaNina Chanel AbneyAir Jordan 3Travis ScottDeion SandersNike Air DT Max 96Adidas AE 1
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