The Air Jordan 5 “Black Metallic Reimagined” did a fine job setting the stage for the Jumpman’s banner 40th anniversary year, selling out instantly upon dropping in the first quarter of 2025. As we continue to unpack early info about 2026 Jordan releases, it’s looking like next year will kick off in similar fashion. After news of the sneaker’s return broke a few months ago, the Air Jordan 5 “Wolf Grey” retro now has a release date of January 10th, 2026.
The “Wolf Grey” 5s originally released in 2011 and have never retro’d until now. Lauded as one of the best non-OG Jordan 5s ever, the sneaker sold out on drop day and has steadily increased in resale value since. No images of the 2026 retro have surfaced yet, but the color blocking and materials will likely stay true to the 2011 release. Expect a “Wolf Grey” nubuck upper, white contrast stitching, and white shark teeth atop a grey midsole.
While some qualities are more predictable, there are still questions pertaining to branding and shape. The upcoming Jordan 5 “Grape” and Jordan 5 “Fire Red” are intended to closely resemble the original 1990 cut, but the “Wolf Grey” AJ5 might go in a different direction since it’s not an original colorway. Moreover, while the 2011 pair featured Jumpman heel stitching and “23” on the sides, those aren’t guaranteed qualities this time around. Jordan Brand has historically kept “Nike Air” heel branding exclusive to original colorways, but that isn’t a strict rule across the board anymore (see the Jordan 4 “Cave Stone” dropping later this year).
The Air Jordan 5 “Wolf Grey” retro is scheduled to release January 10th, 2026, just weeks after the model’s 35th anniversary year comes to a close. Enjoy detailed images of the 2011 “Wolf Grey” 5s below while we wait on first look images of the 2026 pair.



WHERE TO BUY
Mens Air Jordan 5
Retailer | Release type | Status |
---|---|---|
Nike SNKRS US | Standard | Coming Soon |
Info via @zsneakerheadz.