1.
Nike launched as many sneaker releases as ever in 2015. Unsurprisingly, plenty of the usual suspects were well represented. Shoes like the Air Max 95, Foamposite and LeBron and Kobe's signature lines dropped with regularity. But it was new models, less common retros and an emerging signature line that captured our interest more than anything. Check out our picks for the best Nikes of 2015.
2.
Rank: 10
Release Date: 7/4
When it comes to footwear the NBA has taken issue with, the "Banned" Air Jordan 1 is typically the first that comes to mind. The “Sharpie” Foamposite, on the other hand, is an incident that actually happened. And this year, Nike commemorated Penny Hardaway’s need to black out portions of his most popular signature model, in order to adhere to the NBA’s uniform guidelines, with a special pack that included this shoe and the Nike Penny 6 in Orlando Magic colors.
4.
Rank: 9
Release Date: 9/17
Remember when "What The?" sneakers were still special? Before they became a yearly requisite for Nike Basketball's biggest sig models and even started bleeding over into other brands? The theme is growing kind of tired at this point, but the Air Max 95s here, officially dubbed "Greedy," made things feel fresh again. It's arguably the most wearable "What The" shoe yet thanks to its adherence to OG materials, landing it on the right side of garish. 2015 was full of AM95 styles thanks to the anniversary connection, but none made a statement quite like this one.
6.
Rank: 8
Release Date: 3/26
Instead of looking to rehash a long lost retro or tout a new design innovation for Nike’s #AirMaxDay, the brand looked back…way back. The Air Max Zero was just a concept in 1984 when designer Tinker Hatfield put pen to paper. Technology wasn’t available to bring the shoe to life during the early age of sneaker design, but Nike went back to Tinker’s original sketch in 2015 to make the idea a reality. It’s still unclear if this should be considered a truly new silhouette or some kind of throwback, but one thing’s for sure – the Air Max Zero is one the best shoes of the year.
8.
Rank: 7
Release Date: 4/14
Nike Flyknit x Nike Kobe isn't a long running equation just yet, but it's already been the source of some powerful shoes. This year, Nike revisited the HTM team-up that made the Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low so coveted. The sequel wasn't on the same level as the original (When is it ever?), but the pairs that came from this line were still the most coveted Kobes in 2015. Hiroshi, Tinker and Mark did it again.
10.
Rank: 6
Release Date: 11/21
It's usually an Air Jordan that's the standout in Nike's annual Doernbecher Freestyle collection, but this year it was a LeBron. This was the first time a LeBron sneaker was included in the set of products that benefits the Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Ore. Not only was this colorway of the LeBron 13 the pick out of the entire Doernbecher collection, it's also the most memorable of the Nike LeBron 13s so far.
12.
Rank: 5
Release Date: 10/9
These days, most hybrid sneakers are met with a well-deserved eye roll. We’ve been there and done that (poorly) a few too many times to take much interest when it happens now. But the LeBron 12 Low x Air Max 95 is a rare exception to this rule. LeBron had us all doing a double-take when he debuted the model last September thanks to how seamlessly the two concepts were integrated.
14.
Rank: 4
Release Date: 4/4
Bringing the street-friendly style of a Timberland boot to a sneaker is nothing new – we’d even seen it from Nike Basketball before, when LeBron hit the court of All Star Weekend’s Freshman-Sophomore game in the “Wheat” Nike Air Zoom Generation during his rookie season. That early classic from LeBron's line was revived for this, a LeBron 12 featuring the same approach. For purists, there's even a nod to the AZG with LeBron's original logo on the tongue.
Rank: 3
Release Date: 1/10
2015 was filled with ups and downs for Kyrie Irving. When it came to sneakers though, life was good. His first signature line was technically unveiled in late 2014, but it was in 2015 that the shoe had a chance to shine. Thanks to his strong play, and the shoe’s affordable price tag (by signature standards), it became an on-court mainstay for ballers at all levels. The "Deceptive Red" version started the year off on a high note, and remained the top choice even after a busy year of releases.
17.
Rank: 2
Release Date: 1/22
Not content with just re-issuing older soccer shoes, Nike Sportswear has recently focused on turning newer soccer models into lifestyle silhouettes. It's never done this better than on the Nike Air Footscape Magista, a shoe echoing the approach of the Nike Free Mercurial Superfly. The design makes the Swoosh's much-touted Magista boot more accessible, pairing it with the chunky Footscape tooling that's long been a cult favorite. Thankfully, the sneaker isn't going anywhere – previews of what's to come prove that 2016 will offer even more of this beauty.
19.
Rank: 1
Release Date: 6/30
2015 was a major year for the LGBT community. Same-sex marriage was officially legalized in the United States, which made this year's launch of Nike's 'Be True' collection all the more noteworthy. Headlining this year's collection of LGBT-inspired sneakers was the Nike Sock Dart, a silhouette that saw major resurgence this year thanks to Fragment Design and a host of inline colorways. What made the "Be True" version special was the rainbow spectrum across the midfoot strap, which any sneakerhead, regardless of sexual preference, could get behind.
