John Kim 
The Air Jordan line is all about evolution, but there was potential for it to come to a complete stop at the Air Jordan II. Arguably the most overlooked of the heralded Chicago Bulls era of MJ’s Nike sneakers, the Air Jordan II could have forced a parallel universe of sorts; prior to signing a sneaker deal, the then young MJ was very keen to adidas and it appeared that the German brand had decisive leverage in the Jordan sweepstakes. But Michael, who took his parent’s opinions to heart, chose the Beaverton brand at the direction of his father and the Air Jordan was born. However, it seemed that Michael wasn’t particularly happy with the direction of his shoes after two completed models, and the Bulls superstar was ready to fulfill his original decision. Because of this interesting tidbit of info in the Air Jordan timeline, the AJ2 is sometimes seen as a black sheep of sorts; it was particularly under-appreciated by the man himself, and more importantly, it could have been the sneaker to end the Nike Air Jordan line for good.
These days it seems that the Air Jordan II is still on a different wavelength than the rest of the Retros; it is consistently priced below the rest of the Air Jordan Retros (with the exception of the Air Jordan 1), and despite the clean craftsmanship inspired by Italian methods, the AJ2 hardly conjures up the excitement that other models do. Is it too far out to say the AJ2 is the least popular Air Jordan of the Bulls era? Probably not, but there have been some incredible releases in the past – some that command dollar figures in the higher end of the what-are-Jordans-worth scale. As we approach the release of the OG White/Red/Grey release next week, we looked back at what we believe to be the ten best Air Jordan 2s to date. Agree or disagree? See our selections below (in no particular order) and let us know where the Air Jordan II falls in your personal list of “Best Air Jordans of All-time”.
Air Jordan II – Original White/Black/Red
Classic Chicago style with a hit of reptile skin on the upper. It’s all Italy in this colorway, and it may be the best Air Jordan II to have never been Retroed (in this style).
Air Jordan II Black/Chrome
This early 2000’s Retro release brought in a pebbled “Sting Ray” material to the mix, with black suede and Chrome Silver accents completing the look.
Eminem x Air Jordan 2
Long before Drake got his OVOs, Eminem teamed up with Jordan Brand for this tribute to his music and the city of Detroit.
Air Jordan II “Doernbecher”
The first to do it. An incredible colorway with awesome details designed by a youngster named Sheridan Brenton.
Air Jordan 2 “Premio”
Another “first”. Jordan Brand launches the high-end Premio collection known as the Bin 23 series, and quite frankly, there’s no better sneaker to exude the level of luxury than the Air Jordan II.
Air Jordan II – Original White/Red/Grey
Another clean take on the Bulls garments, with grey accents on the sole. Next week, you’ll get to buy these again without having to buy those forgettable XX1s.
Air Jordan II “Melo”
The Melo II was one of the first “limited” Air Jordan Retro releases. Only select retailers got a hold of ’em.
Air Jordan II “Yellow/Candy Pack”
This Yellow colorway was part of the underrated “Candy Pack” set. If you want to imagine a “Lightning” version of this silhouette, there’s no other picture than what you see above.
Air Jordan II Low “French Blue”
The Low-top Air Jordan II might be one of the best ever. The luxury boot design translated incredibly well to Low form.
Air Jordan II “Infrared 23”
We’re impressed by the infusion of Safari, Elephant, and Speckle to the Air Jordan IIs thus far, and we’d say the Infrared joints stand out the most!
