May’s best sneaker drops: Your guide to this month’s must-have releases

Our monthly series looks at the top releases from the best brands in athletic footwear. Whether you’re an avid sneakerhead or just looking for the perfect pair to complement your style, navigating the vast world of sneakers can be overwhelming. From understanding where to buy to decoding the latest trends, consider this your road map to finding the perfect pair.

May serves as the unofficial kickoff to the summer season. College graduations, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day weekend are the month’s highlights, along with the WNBA’s return. In terms of sneakers, it means that the sorority houses can finally let those cooked Air Force Ones graduate, mom can get herself a few pairs that show softness and love, you can find that perfect shoe for beach day activities. And lastly, we can finally answer the question of where a particular shoe is.

Angel Reese uses a little Shaqnosis

Since signing with Reebok, Angel Reese has given us plenty of footwear options, from her collection to the debut of Reebok’s first basketball shoe in years. While we wait for Reese’s first signature shoe, she continues giving us fresh takes on Reebok classics. The latest is her homage to her “Uncle Shaq” and his Shaqnosis. Featuring Shaq and Angel Reese’s logos, this pair is the perfect representation of summer in washed gray and sunset coral with hints of gold.

Release date: May 1

Retail: $150

Bo still knows

In the early 2000s, the “Auburn” Nike Trainer SC was my grail shoe. Famously worn by my favorite athlete, Bo Jackson, it was the one shoe I told myself I would retire if I ever got my hands on it. We now can call that a lie several hundred pairs later. But to be fair, shoes simply didn’t retro as often back then. This hood classic cross-trainer is still one of my most beloved, so I’ll likely scoop one since having a crispy pair on ice is mandatory. All I need is some Girbaud denim shorts and a white tee to complete the outfit.

Release date: May 1

Retail: $130

Adidas keeps it cool

What happens when you mix fashion and future tech? You get the Adidas Climacool. The completely 3D-printed shoe features arch support and heel padding, along with 360 degrees of air courtesy of the wide lattice design. Simply put, these shoes are more than aesthetically pleasing; they’re also practical, which makes them perfect for summer days when you need to run a quick errand.

Release date: May 2

Retail: $140 

The anatomy of a good gray shoe

Gray is similar to black and white when used on shoes and clothing. All three colors can look so different with the smallest tweak to the tone or when various materials are employed. South Korean label thisisneverthat proves that theory by applying a muted grayscale color palette and mixing in premium pigskin, synthetic nubuck, and mesh for a fresh take on New Balance’s 991v2 runner. It was by far one of the better new models released in the last few years.

Release date: May 5

Retail: $270

The A’One finally A’rrives

For years, as the WNBA and women’s basketball popularity rose, the question and conversation centered on when Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson would receive her signature shoe. That moment is finally here as the A’One arrives in a mix of pink hues with details scattered throughout the shoe that pay homage to her journey in the form of Celtic symbols for her parents and inspiration from pearls to represent her grandmother. Most importantly, Wilson’s name is featured on the toe of each shoe so everyone knows whose shoe this is.

Retail: $110

Release date: May 6

Nike cooked a classic

Suppose you happen to step foot on any college campus, music festival, or anywhere Gen X can be found in large numbers: You’re likely to see Air Force Ones that older generations would say have seen better days. But for this current generation, they’re in perfect condition. While these may come aged, dirty, and cracked as if worn for months, the real surprise is that over time, instead of becoming a dirtier version of a dirty shoe, the upper gives way to a clean upper as if fresh from the box.

Release date: May 7

Retail: $130

Deion shows love to his mother 

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s only right that Deion Sanders shows love to his mother, Connie Sanders, with the latest Diamond Turf ’96 release. Using red, the universally accepted color of love, things are kept simple here. The upper also features hints of white to help convey the message, just like a dozen roses would. One special touch lies with the inscription “Love you, Mom” on the insoles.

Release date: May 9

Retail: $170

Caroline Hu gives the Samba a softer look

Chinese fashion designer Caroline Hu is slowly carving out a unique space with her Adidas collabs, and it’s one of softness and a feminine touch. Her latest sees the Samba getting a makeover by swapping out the traditional leather or canvas uppers for satin and lace. This update instantly removes the indoor soccer court heritage and makes it suitable for a date or a night out with friends. Being available in red, silver, and navy blue allows you to cop multiple pairs for different occasions.

Release Date: May 9

Retail: $160

Kevin Durant’s latest throwback

We’ve seen Nike Basketball use the Book 1 to recycle old colorways in new ways. This time, they tried the same approach for Kevin Durant’s signature model by reviving the most well-known color scheme of the Air Bakin, the ’90s hoop shoe commonly associated with former Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway. Biting old looks rarely works, unless it yields results like this.

Release Date: May 15

Retail: $150

Carmelo Anthony’s Nuggets PE gets a proper release

Long before Carmelo Anthony became known as a podcast host or Kiyan Anthony’s dad to a certain generation, he was one of the best players in the NBA and the face of the Jordan Brand for a new generation. A perk of being a Jordan athlete? Custom team-colored retros. One of the cleanest pairs was this pair of Jordan 12s in a color scheme Anthony wore when he was a member of the Denver Nuggets. Simplicity is the game as a solid white leather upper sits on a powder blue outsole with powder blue accents across the shoe, making this an easy choice to slide into your sneaker rotation.

Release date: May 17

Retail: $200

The Jordan 4 “White Cement” returns

One of the most essential and loved shoes in Jordan Brand’s history triumphantly returns for the first time since 2016. This year’s edition is part of the brand’s celebration of 40 years. It fixes many of the complaints collectors and sneakerheads had – the overall shape is closer to the original 1989 model, and the netting on the side and heel tab has been tweaked to mirror the original version. I’d advise anybody interested in these to double up on them.

Release date: May 24

Retail: $225

Sporty & Rich sticks to retro runners

Sporty & Rich has made it clear that they love digging into Adidas’ vault and pulling out forgotten silhouettes. Their latest takes them back to 2008 and the Adizero Adios 1. A white mesh upper with silver overlays turns the model into something suited for a day out with friends instead of actual running. However, if you choose to do both, know that all the performance features from the original are still present.

Release date: TBD

Retail: $160

Be like Mike in 1996

Back in 1996, this low-top Air Jordan XI was only spotted on Michael Jordan during the Bulls’ championship run. Fast forward to today, and it’s finally hitting store shelves. We’ve seen a version with a red heel liner before, but this is the first time the all-black liner – a key element for purists – is getting a public release. Everything else sticks to the classic “Bred” formula—red outsole, white midsole, and black uppers.

Release date: April 26

Retail: $190

Travis Scott goes “Bright Cactus” for spring

When Travis Scott isn’t busy ruining wrestling with John Cena, he’s cementing his status as one of the best collaborators on the Nike/Jordan roster. The latest edition of his Jumpman Jack sneakers sees it trade the usual darker tones for bright cactus green and cream uppers with black accents. As with any Scott collab, these flew but sell for modest prices on the secondary market.

Release date: April 30

Retail: $200