Sneaker culture is obsessed with the new. Every Saturday morning, thousands of people wake up early just to take an "L" on an app for a shoe that looks almost exactly like the one that dropped last month. But if you step back from the immediate noise of the SNKRS app, you’ll find that certain years left a bigger mark than others. 2017 was one of those years. It wasn't just about one single drop. It was a shift.
Honestly, Air Jordan 2017 shoes represent a specific era where Jordan Brand stopped just playing the hits and started experimenting with what "modern" performance and "retro" lifestyle could actually look like when they collided. You had the high-concept chaos of Virgil Abloh’s "The Ten" sitting on shelves (briefly) alongside the Air Jordan 13 "Chicago" and the underrated Air Jordan 32.
It was a weird time. A good weird.
The Year Everything Changed: The Off-White Effect
You can't talk about Air Jordan 2017 shoes without talking about the late Virgil Abloh. Before 2017, collaborations were mostly just palette swaps. A shop would pick a colorway, put their logo on the heel, and call it a day. Then "The Ten" happened.
The Off-White x Air Jordan 1 "Chicago" released in 2017 and it basically broke the brain of every sneakerhead on the planet. It was deconstructed. It had zip-ties. It had "AIR" written on the midsole in Helvetica. It felt like an art project you could wear. While the "Chicago" 1 is the holy grail for most, the 2017 collection also gave us the Off-White Hyperdunk and the VaporMax, but the Jordan 1 was the anchor. It changed the secondary market forever. If you look at StockX data from that period, the trajectory of resale prices for the 2017 Off-White Jordan 1 set the blueprint for the "investment-grade" sneaker era we're living in now.
But it wasn't all about the hype.
🔗 Read more: Finding the Right Word That Starts With AJ for Games and Everyday Writing
The craftsmanship on the non-collab pairs that year was surprisingly high. We saw the "Royal" 1s return in April 2017. People forget that before that drop, getting a pair of Royals meant paying upwards of $1,000 for a 2013 pair that had "paint chips" as a feature, not a bug. The 2017 retro brought back the tumbled leather and a shape that, while not perfectly "85," was a massive step up from the mid-2000s stuff.
Performance Meets the Red Carpet: The Jordan 32
Designers Tate Kuerbis and the team at Jordan Brand had a tough job in 2017. They had to follow up the XXXI, which was a beautiful shoe but had some traction issues on dusty courts. The Air Jordan 32, which debuted in late 2017, was a direct nod to the Italian luxury of the Air Jordan 2.
It’s a beast of a shoe.
It used a high-tenacity Flyknit upper that felt more like armor than a sock. Most performance shoes feel flimsy. Not this one. It had FlightSpeed technology and Zoom Air units that made you feel like you were jumping off a trampoline. When the "Rosso Corsa" colorway dropped in all-red, it was a statement. It was Jordan Brand saying, "We can still make the best basketball shoe in the world, and we can make it look like a Ferrari."
Some people hated the weight. It's a heavy shoe by modern standards. But for players who needed stability—the big men or the explosive guards like Russell Westbrook—the 2017 flagship was a masterpiece of engineering.
💡 You might also like: Is there actually a legal age to stay home alone? What parents need to know
The Retro Run: 13s, 11s, and the KAWS Collaboration
If you were into Retros, 2017 was expensive. Your bank account probably hated you.
We got the Air Jordan 13 "Chicago" in February. Then the "Bred" 13s in August. The 13 is a polarizing silhouette because of the "panther paw" outsole and the holographic eye, but in 2017, the quality control was actually decent.
Then there was the KAWS x Air Jordan 4.
This was a massive moment for the intersection of "Art" and "Streetwear." Brian Donnelly (KAWS) took the iconic Jordan 4 and covered it in premium grey suede—even the midsole was wrapped in suede. It had a glow-in-the-dark sole featuring his signature hand drawings. It was subtle. It was sophisticated. It was also nearly impossible to get. Later that year, a black version surfaced, but the "Cool Grey" KAWS 4 remains one of the most significant Air Jordan 2017 shoes because it proved that Jordans could be high-fashion without being loud.
- The Air Jordan 11 "Win Like '82" and "Win Like '96" closed out the year.
- The '82 celebrated MJ's NCAA title with UNC blue accents.
- The '96 was a bold, all-red tribute to the Bulls' legendary season.
- Both pairs moved away from the traditional "OG" colorway cycle, showing that Jordan Brand was willing to tell new stories using old shapes.
Why 2017 Quality Still Holds Up
There’s this running joke in the sneaker community that "Jordan Brand hates us" because of inconsistent leather quality. But 2017 was part of the "Remastered" initiative that actually seemed to mean something.
📖 Related: The Long Haired Russian Cat Explained: Why the Siberian is Basically a Living Legend
Take the Air Jordan 6 "Gatorade" or the "UNC" 6s. The materials felt intentional. Even the Air Jordan 5 "Blue Suede" and "Red Suede" releases, while not everyone's cup of tea, used materials that didn't feel like plastic. You've probably noticed that if you buy a pair of 2017s on the secondary market today, they often look better than pairs from 2021. The polyurethane midsoles on the 3s and 4s from 2017 are reaching that age where you need to keep an eye on crumbling, but the uppers? They were built to last.
The Forgotten Gems of 2017
Everyone remembers the Off-Whites. Nobody remembers the Air Jordan 1 "Sail."
In 2017, Jordan Brand released a tonal "Sail" Air Jordan 1. It sat on shelves. You could find it on sale for $110 at some retailers. Fast forward to now, and it's considered a "clean" classic that people pay triple for. It was the precursor to the whole "neutral tones" trend that Kanye and Yeezy would eventually dominate.
We also saw the "Atmosphere Grey" and the "Pure Money" 4s return. These were "easy" shoes. You could wear them with anything. They weren't trying to be "art," they were just trying to be good shoes. In a year defined by Virgil Abloh's deconstruction, these simple releases provided a necessary balance for the average person who just wanted a fresh pair of kicks for the weekend.
Navigating the 2017 Market Today
If you're looking to pick up Air Jordan 2017 shoes right now, you have to be careful. We're nearly a decade out.
- Check the Midsoles: Especially on Jordan 3, 4, 5, and 6. The foam can start to oxidize. If you see cracks or if it feels "crunchy" when you press it, you’re looking at a sole swap project, not a daily wearer.
- Verify the Off-Whites: The 2017 Off-White Jordan 1 is one of the most faked shoes in history. If the price seems too good to be true, it’s a scam. Use a reputable authentication service or a physical shop with a "no-questions" reputation like Flight Club or Stadium Goods.
- Look for the "Sleepers": The Air Jordan 13 "Bred" from 2017 is still a relatively affordable way to get an iconic shoe without the 2024 price tag.
Actionable Steps for Collectors
If you want to add a piece of 2017 history to your rotation, don't just hunt for the most expensive pair. Look for the shoes that defined the transition of the brand.
- Prioritize the Jordan 1 "Royal" (2017): It is arguably the best version of that colorway ever released, including the 2001 and 2013 versions. The leather is softer and the shape is more wearable.
- Invest in a "Remastered" Retro: Look for the Air Jordan 4 "Motorsport." It was a colorway originally reserved for MJ's racing team, and the 2017 public release was a huge moment for long-time collectors who had waited years to own it.
- Storage is Key: If you find a deadstock (unworn) pair from 2017, do not keep them in a hot attic or a damp basement. The humidity will kill the glue. Use silica packets and keep them in a climate-controlled environment to prevent the dreaded "sole separation."
The 2017 lineup wasn't just a collection of footwear; it was the moment Jordan Brand proved it could exist in the future and the past simultaneously. Whether you're a hooper looking for the tech in the 32 or a stylist hunting for the "Sail" 1s, that year has something that still feels relevant today. Just make sure you check those soles before you head out the door.