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The 10 Best Nike Dunks of 2022

Nike Dunk

The 10 Best Nike Dunks of 2022

Another year, another strong selection of Dunks. Here are the very best.

Matt DeSciora

If you look up “resilient” in the dictionary, don’t be surprised if you see a picture of the Nike Dunk next to the word. That’s because the shoe has lived a few different lives over its 37-year history, and has yo-yoed between popularity and obscurity more times than anyone can count. To its credit, though, the Dunk has withstood peaks and valleys of popularity and is now considered one of the very best sneakers in the world. And that shouldn’t be changing anytime soon.

How are we so sure? Since the beginning of the year, the Dunk has been released in high-profile projects with Union and other in-demand collaborators. It’s also been rolled out in an impressive amount of women’s-exclusive colorways, had its timeless design reimagined with sustainably sourced materials, and much, much more.

Right now, the Dunk is as iconic as ever. As we wrap up another year, let’s take this opportunity to take a look back at the very best Nike Dunk releases of 2022.

Union x Nike Dunk Low “Passport Pack”

In addition to collaborating with Jordan Brand on a pair of well-received Air Jordan 2s this year, Chris Gibbs and his Los Angeles based Union clothing and sneaker boutique also released the covetable Nike Dunk Low “Passport Pack” in February. Featuring three colorways, the “Passport Pack” is inspired by the hunt for rare, Japan-only “Co.Jp” Dunk releases from the early 2000s. The “Passport Pack” is another example of Union’s dedication to great sneaker storytelling.

Women’s Nike Dunk Low “Reverse UNC”

The Women’s Nike Dunk was everywhere in 2022. New colorways of the shoe were released on what seemed like a daily basis, with perhaps none more sought after than the “Reverse UNC.” As its name suggests, the “Reverse UNC” flips the color block of the “UNC” Dunk, breathing new life into the iconic color story.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Bubble Gum Pack”

As mentioned earlier, it was a great year to be into Dunks and baseball. That’s because the two worlds collided not once, not twice, but a handful of times over the course of the last twelve months when Nike SB released its “Bubble Gum” pack of SB Dunks inspired by Major League Baseball teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants.

Nike Dunk Low “Jackie Robinson”

As mentioned earlier, i, it was a good year to be a fan of both the Nike Dunk and baseball. One of several colorways inspired by the sport released in 2022, the “Jackie Robinson,” honors the life and legacy of the Baseball Hall of Famer and civil rights activist. Inspirational quotes by Jackie are found throughout the shoe’s Brooklyn Dodgers-inspired blue overlays, giving the shoe a look unlike any other.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Skate Like a Girl”

Released in October, the Nike SB Dunk Low “Skate Like a Girl” instantly became a Dunk-of-the-Year candidate not only for its symbolism, but also for its sweet design. The colorway was co-created by Skate Like a Girl, a non-profit organization that empowers young women and trans people to promote equity in skateboarding. As you can see, the colorway’s aesthetically pleasing color block and creative use of retro branding and modern graphics makes it one of the year’s top Dunks.

Women’s Nike Dunk Low “Lisa Leslie”

The Nike Dunk has evolved greatly over the years. But no matter what direction Nike takes the shoe, it is always released in colorways that honor its performance basketball roots, like the Women’s Dunk Low “Lisa Leslie.” As you can see by its name and purple-and-yellow, Los Angeles Sparks-inspired color block, the “Lisa Leslie” celebrates the storied career of the WNBA pioneer.

KCDC x Nike SB Dunk Low

No matter how “mainstream” the Nike SB Dunk becomes with each passing celebrity collaboration, the venerable skate shoe is still released in plenty of skate-centric colorways, like Brooklyn skate shop KCDC’s colorway from April. The pink-based colorway combines materials commonly found on skate shoes, and tops off its look with special “KCDC” and “2001” branding that honor the shop’s 20th anniversary in 2022.

Gnarhunters x Nike SB Dunk Low

Just when you thought you had seen it all as it pertains to the Nike SB Dunk, Elissa Steamer’s Gnarhunters surf and skate brand came through and added a buttery soft terry cloth to the skate shoe earlier this year. In addition to the upgraded materials, her version of the SB Dunk also features removable velcro Swooshes. As you can see, Nike SB’s willingness to collaborate with new creatives year after year continues to greatly benefit the SB Dunk.

Nike SB Dunk Low “St. Patrick’s Day”

Few things are certain in life. Except for death, taxes, and a new holiday-inspired Nike SB Dunk every year. In 2022, the skate brand continued to use holidays as inspiration for new SB Dunk colorways when it released the “St. Patrick’s Day” SB Dunk Low, an alternate low-top version of Dunk High with a similar color block from 2013.

Nike Dunk Low “Dark Marina Blue”

The Air Jordan 1 High OG “Dark Marina Blue” was arguably the more popular “Dark Marina Blue” sneaker of 2022, but the Dunk Low of the same nickname is still an exceptionally good shoe. Similar to the former “Co.Jp” exclusive “Argon” Dunk, which was also released this year, the “Dark Marina Blue” features a very early 2000s-esque color block that hits all the right notes of nostalgia.

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