September’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.

September means that fall is officially around the corner. The NFL and college football return in full force this month, pumpkin spice lattes start their seasonal takeover, and fairs begin to pop up around the country as the weather cools off. However, in the sneaker world, September presents plenty of big releases, with the Jordan Brand digging into its vault, Nike teaming up with old and new collaborators, and pro ballers Angel Reese, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton officially entering the signature shoe conversation.

The Air Trainer Huarache returns

The ’90s were athletic footwear’s “straps and crap” era. It was a time when many performance sneakers used any number of straps to create a lockdown feel necessary for sports. One of the peak designs from that time, the Air Huarache Trainer, returns since it was first made famous two decades ago in old advertising featuring two-sport great Bo Jackson.

Release date: Sept. 1

Retail: $170

SKU: IH4470-001

A Lego that won’t destroy your foot

After giving us Lego sets of the Nike Dunk Low, we now receive a Lego-inspired Dunk Low. Nike taps into Lego’s creative mindset by dressing the Dunk Low in all-white with bold black outlines, inviting you to tap into your inner child. Co-branding is featured across the shoe and packaging, which takes direct inspiration from Lego minifigure designs.

Release date: Sept. 1

Retail: $120

SKU:  IF2117-100

The Shai 001 is finally available

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has earned numerous accolades in the past year, including first-team All-NBA, MVP, NBA champion, Finals MVP, and NBA 2K cover athlete. Now, fans can finally lace up the Converse Shai 001 after watching SGA sporting the shoe since February. Arriving first in a buttery yellow nubuck leather with puffed-up accents, these kicks make a statement, just like their namesake did last season.

Release date: Sept. 4

Retail: $130

SKU: A18771C-248

Ja Morant mixes things up

While NBA star Ja Morant has had two prior editions of his shoe, the Nike Ja 3 is the first version that comes free of distraction and feels like Morant as the sneaker superstar he’s always had the potential to be. The “Hustle and Flow” colorway opts for a mismatched look – a bright orange on one sneaker and a cool, purplish blue on the other. It’s the type of color combo that passes the 50-yard read with ease and should look good on foot for hoopers who want to stand out.

Release date: Sept. 4

Retail: $120

SKU: HF2793-700

“What can brown do for you?”

If this “Cave Stone” brown version of the Air Jordan 4 had a collaborator’s name attached to it, we could almost assume with great certainty that it would be more hyped and an instant sellout. Thankfully, it doesn’t, and it’s a wide general release, which means everyone should be able to feast on a fall-ready colorway.

Release date: Sept. 6

Retail: $220

SKU: FQ8138-200

Nike and Yu-Gi-Oh officially connect

Fans of the Japanese manga-turned-cartoon Yu-Gi-Oh! can finally rejoice: The once-fictional “Air Muscle” sneaker is now real. Inspired by the Air Max 95, Nike has reimagined the classic model with “Air Muscle” branding on the tongue and a predominantly blue colorway — a faithful nod to the pair often worn by star character Joey Wheeler in the series.

Release date: Sept. 12

Retail: $210

SKU: II7404-400

The real “Fire Red” Jordan 5 returns

Yes, there are technically two versions of the “Fire Red” Jordan 5: one with a silver tongue, and the other with a black tongue, which is the more beloved pair. As Jordan Brand continues to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the model, this fan favorite returns for the first time since 2013, complete with the OG treatment with the “23” stitched on the side, and “Nike Air” embroidered on the heel.

Release date: Sept. 13

Retail: $215

SKU: HQ7978-101

Angel’s sneaker debut comes in threes

Simply put, Angel Reese is a needle mover on and off the court. Now, Reese and Reebok look to make an impact in the sneaker game with Reese’s first signature shoe, the Angel Reese 1. Arriving in three different colorways — the pink-hued “Mebounds,” the black-and-white “Receipts Ready,” and pearl white “Diamond Dust” — there’s bound to be a suitable option for everybody.

Release date: Sept. 18

Retail: $110

SKU: 100256997 (“Receipts Ready”) 100262827(“Mebounds”) 100244236 (“Diamond Dust”)

Travis Scott and Fragment team up

Travis Scott’s Jordan 1 collabs are the perfect example of “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” The usual suspects are here in the form of the reverse swoosh, the Cactus Jack logo, and extra laces. Japanese streetwear brand Fragment’s influence is evident through the logo on the heel of the right shoe and the tooling/style code imprint on the inner side of the shoe.

Release date: Sept. 20

Retail: $155

SKU: DM7866-104

A Jordan 5 with international flavor

First arriving in 2011 as a way to commemorate the opening of Jordan Brand’s Tokyo23 store, the Air Jordan 5 “Tokyo” has long served as a grail for many and a shoe that many have wanted to see retro. The wait is over as they are set to return this month. A bold canary yellow covers the nubuck upper with hints of black and white to offer balance. As with many Jordan retros, there is a slight modification from the original: The shoe’s outsole tip is yellow instead of the black we saw in 2011.

Release date: Sept. 27

Retail: $215

SKU: IO3372-700

Haliburton goes blue for his new shoe

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton may be sidelined by injury, but Puma’s still moving forward with releasing his new signature sneakers. The first drop is a wonderful shade of blue that’s a bit more wearable than the pink Hali 1s he wore in the NBA Finals.

Release date: TBD

Retail: TBD

SKU: 313455-01