It’s a special time to be a New Yorker. The New York Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought on Saturday, beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games. Coinciding with the energy currently surrounding the Knicks and New York City as a whole, we’ve decided to take a look back at the best New York-themed sneakers of all time.
For this list, we’re focusing on New York-inspired pairs that were actually released to the public. This means grails like the friends-and-family-exclusive Scarr’s x Nike Air Force 1 Low and the raffled-off “Derek Jeter” Air Jordan 11 have been omitted from our selections.
Another note is that the sneakers included here don’t necessarily need to be in orange and blue colors, but are styles that honor New York in a meaningful way. Some of their connections to NYC are more obvious than others, like the “Pigeon” SB Dunks, but then we have pairs like the “Brick by Brick” Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 that are more story-driven.
Without further ado, here’s our list of the Best New York Sneakers of All Time.
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10
DJ Clark Kent x Nike Air Force 1 High ‘East vs. West’
Year: 2009
Recently, in Nike’s Knicks championship ad, the DJ Clark Kent x Nike Air Force 1 High “East vs. West” appeared as an easter egg, reminding people of the legacy it already had during one of the biggest moments in the team’s history. The late DJ Clark Kent was an Air Force 1 king, and it would be impossible to make this list without including a pair (or two) tied to him. Nike Air Force 1s, famously nicknamed “Uptowns,” have always had a special place in New York sneaker culture, making this pair even more fitting. Originally released in 2009, the “East vs. West” Air Force 1 High blended Knicks-inspired colors with premium leather. The release brought people outside, with a launch event attended by names like Nigel Sylvester and other faces from the city. That was the kind of moment DJ Clark Kent was known for creating. Sneakers, music, community, and New York—all in one place. For that reason, this pair definitely belongs on our list of the best New York sneakers. —Douglas Jase
Year: 2025
Awake NY’s 2025 collaboration on the Air Jordan 5 showed its New York influence loud and proud, replacing the sometimes-seen “23” heel embroidery with “NY” on the right shoe. Additional details from the NY-based streetwear brand included its signature “A” logo incorporated into the AJ 5’s netting and outsole, and “Awake NY” found on the inner tongue tag. While both the pink and black-based colorways were strong, the pink gets the nod here for being exclusive to Awake NY. —Zac Dubasik
8
Nike LeBron 6 ‘Big Apple’
Year: 2008
Rumors of LeBron James signing with the Knicks have yet to come to fruition after almost two decades, but it’s hard to fault New York fans for feeling a bit teased thanks to James’ frequent NYC-themed sneaker releases. Special editions include the “NYC Graffiti” Nike LeBron 4, “Yankees” Nike LeBron 5, and most notably, the “Big Apple” Nike LeBron 6. James wore the “Big Apple” 6 when the Cavs played in New York on November 25, 2008, putting up 26 points in an easy win, and the sneakers released that week in limited fashion at retailers including the House of Hoops. —Zac Dubasik
7
Kith x Asics Gel-Lyte 3 ‘NY’
Year: 2013
Kith founder Ronnie Fieg’s fandom for the New York Knicks has been well documented. Before becoming the first-ever creative director of the team in 2022, Fieg partnered with Asics on a two-shoe Gel-Lyte 3 pack dubbed “East Coast Project.” One pair was inspired by Miami and the other was a New York Knicks-esque colorway. To this day, that orange and blue Gel-Lyte 3 is easily at the top of the list of the best Knicks-themed sneakers from Fieg and Kith. —Victor Deng
6
DJ Clark Kent x Nike Air Max 1 ‘112’
Year: 2008
Honestly, any pair from the late DJ Clark Kent’s “112” Nike pack from 2008 would’ve worked for this list here, but the Air Max 1 is my personal favorite. The number in the collab represents the area code of Clark’s native borough of Brooklyn. In addition to the Air Max 1, the range included the Air Force 1 Low and the Air Trainer 1. Each pair featured a predominantly grey and neon yellow color scheme and had elephant print, which served as a perfect love story to Brooklyn. —Victor Deng
5
Nike Air Foamposite One ‘Knicks’
Year: 2014
There’s no need to overthink this one. The Total Crimson and Game Royal Nike Air Foamposite One that released back in 2014 doesn’t have any deep backstory (other than being debuted by Spike Lee two years prior), nothing significant happened on court in it, and the colorway doesn’t have any hidden meaning. It’s simply a bold and unabashed celebration of New York culture with a sneaker that the city has adopted as one of its favorites. The long-time favorite was just reintroduced to the sneaker world thanks to a Spider-Man-costumed fan swinging through the city to hype fans up for Game 5 of the NBA Finals. —Zac Dubasik
4
Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 ‘Brick by Brick’
Year: 2025
The Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 “Brick By Brick” doesn’t bear the traditional New York orange and blue color blocking, but it’s a New York-inspired sneaker nonetheless. The tonal red color scheme pays tribute to the Big Apple’s red brick buildings, which was the city where Sylvester developed his BMX skills. Aside from the monochromatic look, Sylvester was even able to alter the classic “Nike Air” branding on the heel to say “Bike Air.” The sneaker was even named by us as the best release of the year in 2025—and the follow-up “Brick After Brick” is the early favorite for the Best Air Jordan of 2026. —Victor Deng
3
Jalen Brunson x Nike Kobe 6 ‘Statue of Liberty’
Year: 2025
Recency bias? It’s possible. But Jalen Brunson giving New York one of its biggest sports moments in history—while wearing New York-themed sneakers—feels like a pick that will hold up well. Brunson’s “Statue of Liberty” Nike Kobe 6 was a hit as a player exclusive even before it released back in December 2025, and resale prices have been strong ever since. But the sneaker reached legendary status when the Finals MVP laced it up for the title-clinching Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals. The colorway’s nod to the oxidized copper of the Statue of Liberty isn’t as immediately obvious of an ode to NYC as some of the blue and orange sneakers on this list, but the spirit of the design and the mission it accomplished solidifies its status as one of the best New York sneakers of all time. —Zac Dubasik
2
Wu-Tang Clan x Nike Dunk High
Year: 2024
Some might say Wu-Tang brought the Knicks some luck after their halftime performance in the Finals. The Wu-Tang Dunk is one of the most coveted Nike Dunks of all time. Originally one of the rarest pairs in sneaker history, its 2024 return caused a lot of conversation, and led to the re-release of some great pairs in Nike’s Vault. Sure, some people still see it as “just” an Iowa Dunk with Wu-Tang branding, but the shoe sold out for a reason. It carries weight because of the history, the rarity, and what Wu-Tang means to New York. Having the Knicks, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges star in the campaign only made it better in hindsight. After the championship win, that ad aged like fine wine. Between the Wu-Tang connection, the Finals moment, and New York’s run, the story around this pair became even stronger. All that combined is why it lands near the top of this list of the best New York sneakers. —Douglas Jase
1
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Pigeon’
Year: 2005
Jeff Staple’s “Pigeon” SB Dunk Low is the quintessential NYC sneaker. Nike tapped the designer to celebrate the Big Apple as part of its iconic city series in 2003, and the result was a super limited “Pigeon” SB Dunk. The colorway directly referenced New York City’s unofficial mascot, the Rock Dove pigeon. To this day, the launch of the sneaker is still one of the most memorable releases in New York City history. Hundreds of people were lined up in front of Jeff’s Reed Space store for a chance to cop the rumored 150 pairs that were produced. The release infamously sparked a riot that the New York Post called a “Sneaker Frenzy” on the front page, and among sneaker fans, it’s still talked about more than two decades later as the collaboration that changed sneaker history. —Victor Deng
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