With the NBA Finals upon us I decided to look back at one of the league’s greatest journeymen players. ANFERNEE HARDAWAY was a 6ft. 8in. swingman [ll]. He was selected third overall in the NBA’s 1993 draft, and immediately traded by Golden State to the Orlando Magic for CHRIS WEBBER. It was with the Orlando Magic and alongside teammate SHAQUILLE O’NEAL that ‘PENNY’ HARDAWAY would see the most success in the league.
HARDAWAY was considered a triple threat player on the court because he could pass, shoot, and rebound from three different positions [ll]. PENNY was also a monster in the sneaker game. He has some of the most sought after shoes by sneaker fiend collecting addicts. No pair more valuable than the Foamposite 1 “Pennys”. The OG version has a translucent rubber/silicon outsole that is almost see-thru.
As we go back in time, thanks to Google propietary search engineering, the wayback machine finds some of the great NIKE x HARDAWAY collaborations.
PENNY was a high flyer in his first signature shoe. The Air Max Penny I is a smooth and clean shoe. The outsole makes its way onto the shoes upper. The height of the shoes isn’t quite 3/4 either. It’s more like 5/8ths or even 9/16ths if you are using a micrometer. But if you are using a micrometer to read this drop then you have other issues.
The Air Max Penny II incorporated a scotch-lite piping strip along the upper. As an aside, I always thought that NIKE placed scotch-lite on their shoes so that people could be spotted in the dark.
The Air Max Penny III shows the early signs of the foamposite construction. The futuristic alien surface starts to make its way onto the upper of the sneakers. Its a mean concept to try to wrap around your brain that the best sneakers in the world are NOT worn by the best player. The monies that NIKE committed to the R & D of the Penny line of shoes was insane. Air Jordans are still the most popular athlete branded shoe, but the Penny is the most technologically advanced.
The Air Max Penny IV goes back to traditional leathers along with the full 3/4 height boot.
If Michael Jordan wasn’t a factor, Penny would have the GOAT sneaker line. Some would say he does anyway…
If MJ wasn’t a factor, Penny would have been wearing someone else’s Adidas or Reeboks.
After MJ I’d give Penny a slight edge over Barkley for next best signature line. The only thing beating Sir Charles is the Foamposite.
Rando Penny Trivia – supposedly the NIke ad campaign people felt Penny had the personality of a wooden nickel so they brought in the “Lil Penny” character as his alter ego.
Also Penny wound up buying my Black History AF1’s I sold at Flight Club NYC.
I remember the Foamposite 1 sneakers, I am from Tennessee so Hardaway was our Jordan. We bought everything with his name on it. But those shits cost almost $200 back in 1997, not to many people had a pair of those.
I’m not down with the more full on foamposite numbers, but the Air Max Penny Is and IIs are CLASSIC. Dallas, you copping the coming reissues of the II? OG colourway goodness.
Foamposites (Blue/Black and better yet the Killer Black/Black) were the truth. Oh and DP congrats on checkmate making the front page of youtube today.
I loved the Penny IIIs. I wish I could find those and the pippens these days in my size.
CONGRATS ON INTERNET CELEBS MAKING FRONT PAGE OF YOUTUBE.COM! MY BROTHER, NOTHING BUT PROUDNESS FLOWING FROM WHERE I’M AT. THAT PLUS OBAMA? CANT GET BETTER THAT THAT!
I never fucked with the Penny III’s . Yo I had the black foamposites and I swear this side of dunks or Air Jordan 1’s nothing ever looked so damn good with Jeans. I am a stickler of how my jean comes right over my kicks, I have a little 1/2 fold up at the bottom of my jeans and I dont like the back dragging on the floor, that is my pet peave. Ohh Ya DP congrats on the Youtubery.
Penny started the line of Bitchmade niggas in the NBA though. If Im lying Im Dying. Truly Ironic he came in with Chris Webber another bitchmade choke artist. Long Live Oakley…DP I am going to up a Pic with me rocking an Oakley jersey …thats the only basketball jersey I own
I always The Air Max Penny III and the the first one Foamposite 1 “Pennys” were straight up ugly. I don’t see how those kicks are considered classic because they were not aesthetically pleasing.
Penny career was really tragic. It was tragic because of the possible potential heights he could have reached. The Magic squad that made the Finals was sweet but too bad center Hakeem Olajuwan though played like he was a power forward/guard and outclassed O’Neal in the post.
But Penny was just a really better version of Scottie Pippen. After his injuries he played like a fighter who’s in his first bout after a brutal KO. Simply scared to pull the trigger and go all out. He didn’t recover like Grant Hill’s ankles.
The Lil Penny ads were really cool, so good 7up decided to bite their steez.
^D, YouTube love you for now.
But I’m sure you guys are working on the next video!
“If Michael Jordan wasn’t a factor, Penny would have the GOAT sneaker line. Some would say he does anyway…”
On a strictly comfort level I would say so. Especially if you throw in the 96 flights that he rocked in the olympics. Form is debatable (I’m not always trying to look like an undercover cop from outerspace), Jordan’s got him beat there. But for function, Penny consistently dropped my favorite shoes to play ball in. Foamposites are worth every cent.