Michael Jordan was known as the Black Cat during his active career—NBA peers gave him the moniker because of how smooth, fierce, and agile he was on the court. The nickname was the design inspiration for the Air Jordan 13, designed by Tinker Hatfield, with the sole unit of the shoe intended to resemble a cat’s paw. There was even an alternate Air Jordan 13 “Tinker” that has been labeled as the “Black Cat.”
But most sneaker enthusiasts know the “Black Cat” Air Jordan name from the all-black colorways that have been used over to many different models. It’s been seen on the 13, which was an obvious choice, but more notably on the Air Jordan 3 and 4, which were contrasted by the “Pure Money” (all-white) versions of the shoes too. Since its 2020 retro, the Air Jordan 4 “Black Cat” has become one of the most popular Air Jordans, shooting up in resale value years after its release. It’s been so popular that it returned just five year after the first version, in 2025.
In honor the upcoming 2026 Halloween season, we’re taking a look back at some of the best “Black Cat” Air Jordans. We know that all black Air Jordans aren’t true “Black Cat” editions, but for this list we cast a wide net and tried to include those that exude the all-black design language the best. Here are our picks for the best “Black Cat” Air Jordans.
Every Air Jordan Releasing in 2026
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