5 Best Jordan Basketball Shoes

The Air Jordan XXXVIII is a top performer that excels in most categories. After thoroughly testing it in both our lab and the court, we can confidently say it deserves the throne as the best Jordan basketball shoe overall.

During our playtests, we felt this hooper adapted to different playstyles thanks to its premium design. Its solid mid-top structure proved its effectiveness in our lateral stability test, giving our ankles a snug and locked-in fit. It also scored the highest punctuation in our torsional rigidity and heel counter stiffness tests (5/5), proving its worth as a wonderfully supportive pair.

Its premium design comes with premium materials, which give these Jordans top-notch durability. In our Dremel tests, the heel counter and upper outperformed the average with their scores: 4/5 and 5/5, respectively.

The best part is that its structured nature doesn’t come with extra weight. Our scale marked 13.9 oz/394g, which is average, and this mid-top model felt quite light on our feet. The most surprising part was when we cut it in half in our lab and saw a full-length Cushlon 3.0 foam and a Zoom Air Strobel on top of it. This also didn’t add any weight, and it was incredibly comfortable and quite bouncy. Additionally, the carrier foam made sure our feet were stable during our games.

Nevertheless, at 4.0 mm, our caliper indicated the AJ XXXVIII’s outsole is not thick enough for streetball. Additionally, its non-aggressive pattern might wear out sooner than expected, losing wearability and traction.

After hours and hours of tests inside and outside our lab, trying the shoes on our own feet, we can assure you that the Luka 3 is the Jordan pair with the best stability. Its traction, support, midsole, and IsoPlate all work together to make this happen.

At 20.9 mm both in the heel and in the forefoot, this shoe's midsole is lower than average, which equals more stability. A spacious base means stable landings, and the Luka 3 is also wider than average: our caliper returned 117.3 mm when we measured the width of the forefoot.

Apart from that, this Jordan's materials are pretty tough, as the shoe scored a solid 5/5 on our heel counter and torsional rigidity tests. Part of this is thanks to the IsoPlate, which is a framing structure located on the outer side of the shoe. In other words, this shoe is well structured and great at ankle protection.

Nevertheless, even though it offers great traction that held us in place during our wear tests, it's not the best for streetball. Its materials are not the best to fight the abrasion of such sport, so we wouldn't recommend it.

After many hours of research, our feet and our lab results finally reached an agreement: the Tatum 2 is our king among the Jordan basketball shoes when it comes to the best court feel. We closely and thoroughly analysed its sole, checking its performance during our wear tests and cutting the shoe in half.

Our caliper measured a heel stack of 26.6 mm, which is 10% lower than average. But we wanted to know more, so we moved our tool up to the forefoot, where it marked 22.2 mm. Being this close to the court allowed our feet to perform more precise moves, and we felt more in control during our playtests. This translated into us trying more complex dribbles, which suits forwards’ (like Tatum himself) and guards’ typical playstyles.

A minimal drop of 4.4 mm was the cherry on top. As this Jordan’s base is incredibly leveled, our feet were almost flat on the floor, which allowed us to get the maximum response from the court. When we measured the stack height, we included the incredibly comfortable full-length Air Stroble, which improves cushioning; and the shoe's 3.1 mm thin but fairly durable outsole.

Nevertheless, this model’s flat feel might not be ideal for centres and/or big players, who might need a more cushioned and bouncy midsole.

After spending many hours in the lab and on the court, we discovered the Zion 3 is the best hooper regarding support among the most supportive Jordan pairs. Its incredibly tough and heavily padded structure bear-hugged our feet, making our confidence reach a whole new level.

Backdoor cuts and fake crossovers were a piece of cake thanks to its great side-to-side stability. What’s more, these tough upper materials scored a 4/5 and a 5/5 respectively on our toebox and heel padding durability tests. Consequently, the lockdown feel was fantastic.

The best part is that, despite its rugged materials, this Jordan pair is still pretty flexible. During our games, this translated into smooth transitions and easier fake shots. In our lab, our flex test proved us right when our force gauge returned 17.6N, which means the Zion 3 is a whole 55% more flexible than average.

The drawback of this shoe is that its snug and armor-like structure feels tight and doesn’t give in, so we believe it’s not suitable for wide feet.

It was thanks to its price tag that we learned the One Take 5 is an affordable pair. Its performance during our wear and lab tests didn’t give us many hints, making it hard to believe… and that’s why we’ve decided to give it the crown as the best budget pair among Jordan hoopers!

First of all, its solid structure made us feel confident and safe during our playtests. With an unbeatable 5/5 on our torsional rigidity test and a really wide midsole on the forefoot (according to our caliper, it reaches 128.2 mm), the stability levels were over the top. This let us go for more aggressive moves on the court, like quick cuts or crossover steps.

Despite having a lower stack (23.2 mm/18.5 mm on the heel and forefoot respectively) this Jordan pair features a Zoom Air unit. This translated into energetic toe-offs and a bouncy ride every time we played. But that’s not all, as its Phylon foam also helped to make it perfect for rebounds.

However, our Dremel test showed us that Nike cut some expenses on the outsole, as it ended up with a 1.8 mm deep dent that proved it lacks durability.