Kick Game’s Most Anticipated Sneakers of 2023

2022 saw a whirlwind of releases and news which seemed to flood our timelines from collection must-haves to deal-ending controversy. While January may provide some respite, it will almost certainly feel short-lived with a whole host of incredible sneakers anticipated for 2023, with many yet to be seen.

Below is a list of some of our most anticipated releases for the year ahead:

Air Jordan 3 White Cement - 35 years of the Air Jordan 3, the sneaker widely attributed with saving Nike’s partnership with Michael Jordan following the less-than-ideal rollout of the Air Jordan 2. 

Where the AJ1 focused on performance and the AJ2 lent towards luxury, the third iteration combined the two with perfect synergy. It’s this seamless combination that has ensured the consistent popularity of the silhouette remains. 

While we’ve seen the Air Jordan 1 and 4 receive mass acclaim, in addition to the return of the Air Jordan 2, the 3’s haven’t been given as much thought; until now. Rumoured to arrive in November, the original ‘White Cement’ colourway is soon set to return taking direct inspiration from the 1989 model.

A fan favourite, the upper of the sneaker consists of what made the original such a beloved release boasting supple leather surrounding heavy elephant print style panels around the toe and heel. Similar to the ‘Lost and Found’ Air Jordan 1 which was released in the latter part of 2022, the upcoming rendition of the AJ3 utilises a pre-aged aesthetic throughout with hits of red detailing around the laces and on the Jumpman logo on the tongue. 

Featuring the all-important ‘Nike Air’ on the heel, the question arises: what about the 'Black Cement' 3? 

Air Jordan 4 ‘Thunder’ - After you see the lightning, you hear the thunder. The same rule goes for the return of the fan favourite Air Jordan 4 ‘Thunder’ which makes a return in 2023 following the revival of the classic 'Lightening' variant in 2021.

After its original release in 2012, alongside its ‘Lightning’ counterpart, the AJ4 ‘Thunder’ is set to make a return. Effectively a reverse of its partner, we did see a nod to the 2012 release in the form of the ‘Red Thunder’ last year which found its way to the feet of Michael Jordan himself, raising the popularity of the colourway tenfold. 

Nevertheless, those that remember the original Air Jordan 4 ‘Thunder’ will almost certainly be clamouring to get a fresh pair in 2023.

Air Max 93 - For Air Max fans, 2023 marks a special occasion that hasn’t been spoken about at all - the return of the Air Max 93. A sneaker that sits between the AM90 and 95, it’s easy to understand why the 93 doesn’t receive as much appreciation as it should. Despite only returning in 2018, the return of OG colourways such as the ‘Dusty Cactus’ could be the perfect opportunity to assist in reviving the AM93, giving it a renewed sense of intrigue to the newer sneaker audience. 

More OFF-White x Nike? - In a recent interview with the New York Times, Shannon Abloh confirmed that there were some projects yet to arrive as part of Nike and OFF-White’s collaboration first set up in 2017 with ‘The Ten’. 

Following the passing of Virgil Abloh in 2021, the illustrious project that the duo had been working on fell into uncertainty with future releases being put into question. However, with Virgil’s wife Shannon at the helm, the releases continued as planned and appear to do so until at least the end of 2023. 

What is set to release, however, is still not completely known with hopeful fans waiting for the Bred Air Jordan 4 being seen worn by S. Abloh in recent images.

adidas x YEEZY ‘Unbranded’ - The deal between YEEZY and adidas has well and truly come to end, as has been covered here. However, that does not mean the end of the releases. Images have surfaced of both the 350 and 500 silhouettes, both of which are owned by the Three Stripes, featuring only the adi branding. 

As we enter the new year, nothing has been heard from Ye himself following several worrying outbursts in the latter stages of 2022. However, when adidas do come to release what is rumoured to be known simply as the ‘adidas 350’, the reaction from both consumers and the previous collaborator will be interesting.

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low ‘Olive Swoosh’ - Following the flurry of colourways, you’d think that fans would get tired of the Travis Scott Air Jordan 1, especially considering how small the current average sneaker consumer's attention span is. That being said, it’s rumoured that 2023 will harbour the final Cactus Jack colourway of the legendary silhouette. 

Following the original project taking place on both the high and low variants of the AJ1 in 2019, Scott has been able to make his mark on possibly one of the largest collections of sneakers in Nike’s history, spanning years, silhouettes and designs. 

Similar to the ‘Reverse Mocha’ released in 2022, the ‘Olive Swoosh’ provides a similar, reversed, aesthetic of the original ‘Mocha’ AJ1. Where previously the suede panelling featured a light brown tone, these have been switched out to black, surrounded by slightly off-white leather. An olive green suede Swoosh can be located on the medial and lateral sides of the shoe, sitting atop a matching green outsole. 

Will the ‘Olive Swoosh’ truly be the last Air Jordan 1 we see from Travis Scott? Time will tell as we await further releases for the year ahead.

Action Bronson x New Balance 990V6 - Following teased images and an appearance during his WWE debut, Action Bronson’s collaboration with New Balance on the newly released 990V6 is set to arrive this year. Much like the silhouette itself, the sneaker was shown off a fair while before its actual release.

The bold, eclectic, colourway which looks to be the inaugural collaboration on the 990V6 is a far cry from what we’re used to when it comes to a New Balance release as of late with the bar set fairly high by the likes of Joe Freshgoods and JJJJound, both of whom took a more toned down approach. Virtually every section of the shoe hosts a different colour, blending fluorescent greens and oranges with a deep khaki suede in contrast to the two-tone blue midsole.

Despite recent popularity, New Balance’s 990 series isn’t made to be hyped or sold out, explaining why the latest V6 model can still be found on shelves. Where at its core, the 990 collection dons tonal grey and small pops of red, on occasion, the ‘Baklava’ aims to shake that up. 

Nike Air Max 1 ‘Big Bubble’ - Before the Air Max 1 silhouette we all know and love, came the AM1 ‘Big Bubble’. Designed in 1986, the ‘Big Bubble’ was Tinker Hatfields original design idea for the infamous silhouette that set into motion one of the most popular sneaker lineages of all time. 

Looking largely the same as the AM1 that was eventually released, the ‘Big Bubble’ does exactly as suggests: features a large Air Unit in the midsole in both length and width. Marking the first time the sneaker has ever officially been released, after it was shown off during an episode of SNKRS Live in March 2022, it’s fairly safe to assume that this will be the converted Air Max Day offering. 

Air Jordan 4 SB - At the time of writing, little is still known about the Air Jordan 4 SB and in turn, it feels as if it’s been largely forgotten about. 

After images emerged of Eric Koston wearing a triple black variant of the sneaker, questions began to arise as to what the mystery sneaker was in addition to when, and if, we’d see its release. According to zSneakerHeadsz, the Air Jordan 4 SB is set to arrive around Spring with two colourways, the triple black and a green and white pair, all but confirmed by Nike. 

The rumoured release is set to take the appearance of the usual Air Jordan 4, assumedly with additional cushioning as is seen in the Nike SB Dunk, with the inclusion of the ‘Nike SB’ on the heel instead of the ‘Nike Air’. 

If the SB version of what is widely regarded as one of the best Air Jordan sneakers of all time does release, it’s sure to be a heavy contender for sneaker of the year. 

 

For the latest on all the aforementioned sneakers set to arrive in 2023, keep it Kick Game.