Arguably the most iconic shoe in basketball history, the Air Jordan has been gracing NBA courts since the first pair was produced for Michael Jordan in 1984. In the decades since, countless NBA and WNBA players have worn Jordans on the court and the Jumpman logo has come to be synonymous with great players like Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul, who have their own signature sneaker lines with the brand. As of 2021, Air Jordan is on its 36th iteration, the First Light, worn in a Player Edition by Jayson Tatum during the Tokyo Olympics and headlined by Luka Doncic, who signed on with the Jordan brand in 2019.

The Air Jordan 36 draws a lot of design inspiration from the Air Jordan 6. It has a snug fit with a strong upper and outsole wrapping toward the midsole for better support. The new design is lightweight without sacrificing padding, with the versatile traction Jordans are known for. While this sought-after silhouette has had via designers over the years, Tate Kuerbis is a recurring recent designer, first joining the brand for the 2003 Air Jordan 18 and returning as the sole designer starting with the Jordan 31 in 2016. His designs draw heavily from the original shoe but with an emphasis on improving the traction and responsiveness, adding more ankle support and lowering the profile of the midsole. The Jordan 31 also integrated Nike’s new Flyweave technology, while the Jordan 32 used a Flyknit upper, a big factor in how these latest Jordans have slimmed down in their overall weight.