Top 10 Sneaker Releases Yet to Arrive in 2022

Somehow, we’re already approaching the end of 2022. It felt like yesterday that I was writing about our favourite sneakers of the year thus far, let alone sitting with friends and colleagues discussing what the year ahead might bring. 

Nevertheless, the final two months of the year are shaping up to be a whirlwind of massive releases that’ll have your bank account screaming. In no particular order, here is a list of some of the remaining releases to keep an eye on for the weeks to come:

Air Jordan 1 High ‘Lost and Found’ - Return of an OG. The Air Jordan 1 ‘Lost and Found’ plays on the idea of finding a vintage pair of Air Jordan 1 ‘Chicago’s’ in the closet. Everything from the shoebox to the details on the sneaker, in addition to further details in the box, points towards the original release of Michael Jordan’s signature sneaker. 

Aged detailing is found across every facet of the shoe, from the cracked leather to the yellowed midsole. At first the images of the upcoming release were met with mixed responses. However, as could be expected, these are likely to become the best sneaker of the decade for many people. 

New Balance 990V6 - The 990 series is arguably New Balance’s greatest, standing at the epicentre of its ‘Made In USA’ line. After leaked images courtesy of Teddy Santis last year gave a brief view of what to expect from the upcoming V6 silhouette, official images have only just been released recently ahead of the imminent release. 

While the 990 has gone through some more drastic changes closer to its inception with the V1, V2 and V3, the current generation of sneakerheads have become used to the V3, V4 and V5 which all look reasonably similar. Will the newly imagined midsole throw off fans or will NB continue its seemingly unstoppable advance to the top? Time will tell. 

Nike Air Max 97 ‘Silver Bullet’ - Nike has been celebrating a myriad of anniversaries this year including 40 years of the Air Force 1 and 35 years of the Air Max 1. One such anniversary is the Air Max 97 which sees its 25th year. While we have seen alternate colourways of the 97 drop, including the OG Atlantic Blue, it’s the Silver Bullet that has Air Max fans talking. 

Promising to bring back the classic ‘neck breaker’ sneaker in all its glory, this is a release many have been waiting for for some time.

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low ‘Triple Black’ - When the original Travis Scott Air Jordan 1 was released, the world seemed to go into a frenzy with the shoe permeating mainstream media. A similar sentiment was felt upon the second pair for which Scott called in Fragment to be a member of a three-part collaboration.

As time has passed, the exclusivity of the Travis Scott x Nike collaborations has begun to dwindle following the release of the ‘Reverse Mocha’ which, while garnering sellout success as to be expected, didn’t receive the same reception as its OG counterpart.

Further images have leaked online of a triple black variant of the sneaker in addition to an olive Swoosh option which is yet to be confirmed. Is Jordan Brand forcing the Travis Scott Air Jordan 1? 

We The Best x Air Jordan 5 - Another One. DJ Khaled is returning for another collaboration with Jordan Brand, this time not on the Air Jordan 3 as he’s best known for with previous projects. Arriving in a range of Easter-esc colourways mainly featuring pastel tones, the We The Best Air Jordan 5’s are set to arrive any time now.

A Ma Maniere x Air Jordan 12 - While many collaborators choose to stick with silhouettes they know, James Whitner likes to play his cards differently. Following his initial collaboration with Jordan Brand on AJ3, a sneaker which was met with vast critical acclaim, following up with the AJ1 and AJ2, the founder of A Ma Maniére is now opting for the Air Jordan 12. 

Donning a similar colour palette to previous releases, the upcoming AMM AJ12 promises to be another release that tells a story within its craft. 

Will we see the rumoured Air Jordan 4 release in 2022 as well? We’re eagerly waiting for further information.

Air Jordan 4 ‘Midnight Navy’ - When Nike announce an Air Jordan 4 colourway with minimal colour blocking and cement detailing reminiscent of the 1989 original, it’s worth getting excited about. Utilising the Air Jordan 4 ‘Fire Red’ colour blocking, the Midnight Navy features premium tumbled leather in conjunction with small Navy detailing under the forefoot and on the eyelets. 

Since 2021, the interest surrounding the Air Jordan 4 has continued to grow. With the silhouette's 35th anniversary just two years away, this might be the beginning of more to come.

Teddy Santis New Balance ‘Made In USA’ Season 2 - Not a single sneaker, but a whole collection. Since Teddy Santis’ appointment as Creative Director at New Balance’s ‘Made In USA’ line, fans have been eagerly waiting to see what the duo will create. It’s safe to say that the 16-pair collection which continues to release in small doses didn’t disappoint, only leaving us wanting more.

Promising to offer more enticing colourways, and supplying the best materials, New Balance may well be taking over for years to come. 

Air Jordan 11 ‘Cherry’ - An annual release that never seems to get old. The Air Jordan 11 remains a fan favourite. 2022’s offering sees the silhouette adorned in bold red patent leather in addition to deep red detailing on the heel. Despite recent troubles surrounding the release of the AJ11 which saw orders online being cancelled after several early pairs seemingly hit the secondary market, this release is one that many will have marked on their calendars. 

The annual Air Jordan 11, a special time for sneakerheads. 

Air Jordan 2 OG - 2022 has seen the return of a divisive sneaker that not many people asked for. Through celebrating the 35th anniversary of the silhouette, Nike called in a number of collaborators, including Virgil Abloh’s OFF-White and A Ma Maniére, to curate their perspective on Michael Jordan's second signature shoe.

The releases have continued into 2022 with Nike seemingly saving the best for last with the return of the original Air Jordan 2 ‘Chicago’. As with the original, the 2022 retro will feature premium leather panelling throughout the upper with bold red detailing and a bulky midsole. If any Air Jordan 2 is going to make waves, it’ll be these. 

The future of adidas x YEEZY - While not a sneaker release as such, the result of adidas reviewing its partnership with Ye will certainly affect future releases if they were to call it quits with the YEEZY founder. Following an ongoing list of controversial acts and statements, adidas recently advised that they were ‘reviewing’ the contract between the duo just months after the Chicago native publicly stated that he wanted to leave adidas.

At this time, the Three Stripes are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they cut ties, they lose a huge portion of their market share with YEEZY contributing around 10% of their annual revenue. On the other hand, if they don’t cut ties they are at an incredible risk of sending the wrong message to their consumers. 

In essence, 2022 could see the downfall of one of the biggest sneaker lineages in history. 

For the latest news on the above releases, keep it Kick Game.