One of the most legendary non-OG colorways of the Air Jordan 1 returns on Saturday, as the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Shattered Backboard” drops for a retail price of $185.
Air Jordan 1 High "Shattered Backboard" Releases August 23 🧡 pic.twitter.com/8wglgNB8J9
— House of Heat° (@houseofheat) July 28, 2025
I’ve written about the Air Jordan 1 numerous times before, whether it be for the hyped Union collab earlier this year or looking back at the shoe that really jump started sneaker culture all those years ago for its 40th anniversary earlier this year.
As I noted when I ranked the Air Jordan 1 as the third-best model in the history of the line, not only was it groundbreaking in 1984, but it remains relevant today. Even if they’ve cooled a bit from their pandemic-era high, go anywhere in the world and you’re likely to see at least one pair of Air Jordan 1s. And that international appeal is the genesis of the Air Jordan 1 “Shattered Backboard.”
This particular colorway, which as Chris (aka Nightwing2303) from the outstanding Weartesters channel mentioned in his review, kicked off the trend of storytelling in sneakers upon its initial release in 2015. The black, sail and starfish colorway of the Air Jordan 1 High took its inspiration from the legend of Michael Jordan shattering a backboard in Italy back in August 1985. It took the jersey MJ was wearing in that exhibition and translated it into one of the most sought-after non-OG colorways of the Air Jordan 1.
Part of the reason the “Shattered Backboard” became so sought-after was the legendary quality of the leather. More than any other pair of Air Jordans in recent history, the original “Shattered Backboard” 1s impressed everyone with its craftsmanship and became the gold standard that basically all Air Jordan 1s have been compared to since. People will still to this day ask if the leather quality on a new pair of Jordans is “Shattered Backboard” quality. That’s quite a legacy for this 2025 retro to live up to.
Obviously it’s hard to compare the quality of the 2025 retro compared to the 2015 edition without having the kicks in hand, but at the very least SNKRS claims “the smoothness is unmatched” and “the bold colorway and soft touch tumbled leather of the AJ1 ‘Shattered Backboard’ embodies that effortless energy” MJ exhibited that night in Italy when “MJ went full MJ at an exhibition game in Italy when he threw down a dunk so powerful that the backboard shattered.” I would note that, at least based on pictures, the orange doesn’t quite look like its a 1-for-1 match, looking perhaps slightly darker than the 2015 release in an attempt to help differeniate the original from the retro. But for anyone who isn’t looking to pay up for the OG “Shattered Backboards” — currently selling on StockX for an average price of $643 over the last three months — these should be a suitable substitute, assuming the leather quality is there.
As I noted above, the Air Jordan 1 isn’t nearly as hot today as it was a few years ago, and that is reflected in the average price right now of the 2025 “Shattered Backboard” 1s on StockX. The 2025 retro is currently selling for an average price of $223 on 165 sales, so above retail but nothing near the heights reached by the original. Of course, Jordan Brand has gone back to the well many times over the years with the “Shattered Backboard” theme — Reverse Shattered Backboards, Shattered Backboard 3.0s, Satins, Mids, Lows, you name it — so maybe the market has become oversaturated and the colorway has lost some of its specialness. But I still think they’ll sell out and hopefully everyone who wants a pair will be able to get them and either feel like they’ve been able to acquire a grail or re-acquire a grail.
Best of luck to all looking to pick up a pair!
Air Jordan 1 High OG “Shattered Backboard” Release Details
| Sneaker | Release Date | Retail Price |
| Air Jordan 1 High OG Shattered Backboard | August 23 | $185 |
To see more of this month’s releases, check out our release date calendar.
