Flashy and stylistic like MJ himself, Air Jordans have come to epitomize His Airness, both on and off the court, drawing inspiration from all facets of his life on the way to becoming international commodity. It’s no secret that ‘s signature kicks turned the shoe game on its axis, but it’s fair to say few predicted the monumental global success of the brand. According to , Air Jordans accounted for 71 percent of the U.S. basketball sneaker market share 2011, and the numbers have likely only grown since then. His sneakers have became popular they have surpassed even their namesake’s legacy. After missing most of the 1985 with a broken bone his left foot, MJ wore the Air II upon his return 1986. The II’s featured a full-length zoom air sole and faux lizard skin on the sides, assuring they would stand out from the competition. cemented his legacy as one of the greatest scorers of all time at a age that , averaging 37 points per game the last Jumpman-less Jordans. The Air isn’t as well known for its style as it is for what MJ accomplished while sporting them. Despite straying from the flashy, cutting-edge styles represented by the I through V, the still deserves recognition as one of the greatest Jordans of all time. It features the famous rubber tongue and carried over the clear sole and lacelocks from the Air V. The Air X is a classic among classics. This is the shoe that ushered MJ back into the game wearing 45 on his back. What did he do? Oh, just drop 55 points to go along with the game-winning assist to beat the Knicks only his fifth game since returning. One unforgettable feature of this sneaker is the list of ‘s career accomplishments on the bottom, including ’85 Rookie of the Year, ’88 Dunk Champ, ’91 MVP Championship and ’94 Beyond. While boasting a much simpler design than previous Jordans, these nevertheless represent everything that’s great about the Air brand. The Air XII-otherwise known as The Flu Shoe-is most famous for being worn during Game 5 of the 1997 Finals, when dropped 38 points, including the game-winner, despite battling the flu. Born 1997, these Jordans were the first to be released under the exclusive brand, as MJ’s kicks finally garnered their own sub-brand-and deservedly . The XII is one of the best-looking and most durable Air Jordans of all time. It’s certainly deserving of a place on this list, and one could make a plausible argument for the XII being higher on the list. The Air V-inspired by the WWII Mustang fighter plane-is one of the most recognizable Air Jordans ever made. Though the design is amazing, proved these babies weren’t just for looks. Released ‘s first year under the tutelage of head coach , MJ led the Bulls to a franchise record for wins. He also dropped his personal-best points wearing these bad boys before taking home the scoring title. Aside from futuristic features such as the metallic tongue and lace-lock technology, the V was the first shoe to feature the clear sole, which would become a huge trend the years to come. Although never donned these sneakers on the court, he wore a cleated version on the . This sneaker also signified ‘s growing global brand by incorporating words of different languages on the shoe’s sole. The French word dévoué, meaning dedicated; the word anmutig, meaning graceful; and the Spanish word fuerza, meaning force, amongst other adjectives describing ‘s game, combined for the IX to represent fans across the world . The Air VII was built on the look of the , but it traded the airsole heel for a full-length zoom-air sole while adding the legendary Jumpman logo around the ankle. Released for the 1991 , have accomplished more these kicks than any other shoe on this list. Not only did he win his second championship, third MVP and a sixth straight scoring title wearing these shoes, he also led the Dream to Olympic Gold medal. Furthermore, the VII featured huarache technology that would be used extensively over a decade later signature shoes for Kobe , along with those of other stars. Ah, the crisscross J’s. I remember them fondly. When I was 10, I refused to throw a pair of these away despite the holes I’d worn into the soles from constant abuse. mom tricked me into washing them one day, only for me to come home and realize they were gone forever. Back to the topic. The Air VIII was truly revolutionary. It combined the strapped look of a cross-trainer with the iconic style of a , with the resulting kicks being absolute beasts. Officially released during the 1992 , led the Bulls to their first three-peat wearing the VIII’s. Chicago defeated Barkley’s Phoenix Suns six , as averaged a finals-record 41 points per game to clinch the series six. The VIII’s were the last shoe donned before his first retirement, making them both stylish and historic. The Air III just screams His Airness. These sneakers marked the beginning of the Tinker Hatfield , and with that, the Jumpman . Hatfield’s first rendition of the Air debuted the legendary Jumpman pose on the tongue to commemorate the Slam Dunk Championship won wearing these. The legendary designer worked closely with to create this shoe, making it the first signature sneaker to truly embody ‘s personality. The most memorable features of the III are its air-sole heel, the Jumpman logo and the striking elephant skin print featured on the heel and toe. While those qualities made it popular, the genius marketing campaign featuring Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon cemented it as one of the most celebrated shoes history. The Space Jam Jordans are probably the most popular J’s of all time. Earning the nickname for their role on ‘s feet , the XI’s were released for the 1995 , ‘s first full year back from retirement. During that , became the second player ever to win MVP of the regular , the All- Game and the Finals a single , Shaq being the other. Needless to say, led the Bulls to their first title since his return from retirement. The XI reincorporated the clear soles from the V and and featured a patent leather liner around the bottom of the shoe. The XI combined style, class and performance into one of the concord 11s greatest pairs of Air Jordans ever produced. The Air XI changed the game again, springing and the Bulls toward another three-peat. Most probably assumed the Air I would come at No. 1 on this list, and with good reason. Struggling to find their niche the basketball market, decided to go out on a limb, offering a five-year, $2 million contract to a decorated rookie out of North Carolina. It worked out pretty well for Knight and company. Despite ‘s claiming he wouldn’t wear the shoes because they were devil colors, they were released 1985 anyway, marking the beginning of : the career of larger-than-life legend . MJ proceeded to bring home Rookie of the Year honors while carrying a lowly Bulls team to the playoffs and wearing these sneakers. He also angered league officials by ignoring their attempts to ban his first signature shoe. In fact, he was fined $5 a game because of it. Fortunately, was happy to pick up the bill, per . While this legendary sneaker not have been up to the ‘s standard dress code 1985, it earned high marks elsewhere and did wonders for ‘s brand. Copyright © 2018 Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. is part of Bleacher Report – Turner Sports Network, part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Network. Certain photos copyright © 2018 Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Getty Images is strictly prohibited. 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