An exclusive pair of PEs for the scoring machine Penny Hardaway, the Orlando Magic colourway arrived for the rookie’s 1993-94 campaign. A logical successor to Michael Jordan’s marketing magic in the 1990s, Penny Hardaway’s Air Jordan 9 PE marked a transitional moment for the league as His Airness stepped away from the hardwood to pursue baseball. Featuring ‘Dark Charcoal’ and ‘Royal Blue’, Penny’s number 1 replaced Michael Jordan’s 23 on the heel.
The All-Time Greatest Air Jordan PEs
This article was originally published on March 4, 2022.
It’s no surprise that the vault contains some of the most revered PEs of all time. Ray Allen, and all boast a mountain of immortal models. But influence extends well beyond the basketball court, with New York Yankee Derek Jeter and Randy Moss – the self-proclaimed greatest receiver of all time – also stunting famously elusive models. Without further adieu, this is our list of the all-time greatest Air Jordan PEs!
Penny Hardaway Air Jordan 9 PE
Ray Allen Air Jordan 14 PE
Containing a bounty of some of the most impressive Air Jordan PEs we’ve ever seen, Ray Allen certainly had the competition green with envy. Lacing the PE during the 1988-1999 season (shortly after Michael Jordan’s second retirement), the three-point shooting savant rocked an ‘Away’ PE embellished with Bucks-like purple accents and contrasting white soles. The number 34 was also embroidered on the tongue.
Michael Jordan Air Jordan 11 Low ‘Parade’ PE
Many may not remember, but the Lows were initially designed as a PE for Michael Jordan during Chicago’s championship parade in 1996. It’s undoubtedly a festive sneaker for MJ, the GOAT lacing them again for a friendly game of beer pong in 2013. Now one of the most beloved colourways of all time, the ‘Concord’ was most recently retroed (in its iconic hightop rendition) in 2018.
Kobe Bryant Air Jordan 7 ‘Lakers Away’ PE
Another Kobe Bryant Grail from his legendary sneaker free agency. The Black Mamba received the ‘Lakers Away’ PE back in 2002. Again coming in a regal gold, black and purple make-up, the sneaker also featured Kobe’s old number 8 embroidered on the medial collar.
In 2015, a pair appeared online for over $25,000, coming in size 14 and dual-=signed by the late great.
Russell Westbrook Air Jordan 3 Retro PE
has packed his heels with plenty of heat on the hardwood during his time at the Jumpman. Taking aesthetic cues from OKC’s eye-catching colour palette, the Thunder-themed colourway brought a deluge of drip back in 2016. Manufactured in a clean black tumbled leather upper, Westbrook was also spotted in a pristine white pair during his time at OKC.
Chris Paul Air Jordan 11 ‘Clippers Away’ PE
Over the past decade, Chris Paul has been hooked up with more Air Jordan PEs than anyone else in the league. Boasting a vault of Grails, it’s the Air Jordan 11 ‘Clippers Away’ PE that permanently reconfigured our necks, and the model takes cues from 2015’s ’72-10 retro (a celebration of Michael Jordan’s 1995-96 NBA championship season and the Chicago Bulls ridiculous 72-10 season). Comprising red and royal accents, the soles are also reportedly glow-in-the-dark.
Derek Jeter Air Jordan 7 PE
One of the greatest baseball Air Jordan crossovers ever, this Air Jordan 7 PE was specifically crafted for New York Yankee legend Derek Jeter. Previously signed with the Jordan brand began producing signature shoes for Jeter in 2002. He now has an impressive collection of thirteen editions and is one of the longest-tenured athletes of His Airness! Of course, wearing cleats on the field, all the editions also came in classic sneaker counterparts. Talk about a home run!
Randy Moss Air Jordan 9 PE
It doesn’t get much more iconic than Randy Moss. The 6-times Pro Bowl player wore an extremely rare pair of Air Jordan 9 PEs during his tenure at the Minnesota Vikings, the model featuring purple patent mudguards, white uppers and gold piping. ‘Moss’ was also emblazoned on the tongue. One of the greatest receivers of all time, collectors have had a notoriously difficult time tracking down a pair of the Randy 9s!
Darius Miles Air Jordan 9 PE
Unfortunately, the career of Darius Miles didn’t pan out as he (and many fans) had hoped. The 3rd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Miles nevertheless has some slick Jordan Grails that pay homage to his short hoop career. During the 2002–2003 season, Miles rocked a pair of Air PEs manufactured with vibrant orange patent leather uppers and translucent outsoles. Miles’ ‘21’ jersey also emblazoned the heels.
Michael Jordan Air Jordan 11 ‘45’ PE
The Air Jordan 11 ‘Space Jam’ 45 PE exists in sneaker folklore. Worn by Michael Jordan during Game 4 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semi-Final, MJ rocked the number ‘45’ on the heels, a detail that differed from the retail release (which was emblazoned with ‘23’). A model that revolutionised sneaker culture as we know it, the Air Jordan 11 became one of the most chaotic releases of all time. In 2012, a pair of Michael Jordan’s elusive AJ11 PEs appeared on eBay (bearing the ‘45’) and came with MJ’s immortal signature on the heels. Talk about a rare Grail!
Gary Payton Air Jordan 12 PE
Gary ‘The Glove’ Payton may have been known as one of the league’s premier lockdown defenders (a trait his son seems to have inherited), but Payton also stunted some of the best sneakers on the hardwood in the 1990s – case in point: the Air Jordan 12 ‘Away’ PE. Paying homage to his time in Los Angeles, the model was blasted in the regal Lakers purple and black.
Kobe Bryant Air Jordan 3 Retro PE
Exploring his sneaker free agency between 2002 and 2003, Kobe Bryant stunted everything from the Converse Weapon to the Reebok Question. But it was the Air Jordan 3 Retro PE that really had sneakerheads salivating, Michael Jordan’s classic model accented by the LA Lakers purple and gold. Recently, a pair of the original ‘Home White’ samples sold for more than $30,000 (a size 14 with the production date of 11/26/2002 printed on the tongue tag).