All seriousness aside, it’s pretty tragic to see potentially elite NBA careers derailed by a plague of unlucky injuries. Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway was unfortunately a victim of that circumstance. Before Kobe, there was Penny. He was playing the proverbial sidekick role to a young Shaquille O’Neal in the early to mid 90’s (before Shaq’s departure) with the Orlando Magic, but had developed a reputation for being on the league’s top players in his own right with players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Joe Johnson, and Tracy McGrady acknowledging their childhood admiration and respect of Penny’s game.
Nike seldom fails to recognize superstar talent when they see it. Granted, they don’t necessarily always manage to sign every major stud in the league to their vast star-laden roster, but they did book Penny into an endorsement deal that produced four signature kicks in the Air Penny line. True to form, Nike is releasing yet another retro sneaker from the series, the Nike Air Penny III LE in White/Varsity Red/Black colorway.
The white based upper is composed of leather and synthetic Foamposite material, which boldly stands out in red. Penny’s very own signature logo is encased within a clear shell on the lateral side near the heel where we can also see an Air Max bag for cushioning and support. The medial side of the shoe is simple with light perforation near the collar and a much less invasive Foamposite display. With a Phylon midsole, full rubber outsole, and tongue/heel straps for easier entry as well, these basketball shoes were definitely a game-changing shoe at the time of its original release.
This colorway is set for release on April 23, 2010 for a cool $155 at your local House of Hoops and Niketown so be sure to check with them and stay on track. To be honest though, while I can and certainly do appreciate classic sneakers, I’m all about technological innovation and advancement. With Nike’s ever-changing stratosphere of kicks and equipment, I can’t say that I’m dying to get myself a pair of these sneakers, but for all the devotees of retro kicks, these will surely be somewhere on your list.
[phpbay]Nike Air Penny III, 6, “”, “”[/phpbay]
