4. Penny Hardaway
photo via Uproxx/The Grand ArchivesHe’s not a star? Somebody lied. In his prime, Penny Hardaway was putting buckets on Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen– in the playoffs. The slender swingman turned point guard had flash like Magic and a two-guard’s jump shot. He could boom on the best of them and break the press just the same. On the court, there was pretty much no limits to what Penny could do and who he could do it to. Even so, the majority of fans remember less about what he did and more about what he did it in.
For six seasons and five signature shoes, Penny Hardaway was an often All-Star and a fixture in footwear. His four-part Nike Air Penny line launched some of the most memorable designs and ad campaigns ever created. As an unexpected intermission, Penny took a chance with Eric Avar on a blue-based shoe seemingly from the future. The Nike Air Foamposite One changed the game forever and brought a level of innovation that’s still striking today.
Penny’s prime was short, but his legacy lives on forever through his sneakers. In retro life, “Orlando” themed takes on the likes of the Nike Air Go LWP and Nike Air Flight One have proven worthy of a second run based on Penny popularity alone. Even with current signature stars on the rise, the Foamposite franchise remains the only shoe series that can consistently compete with Air Jordans. In the malls or in Kicks On Court, Penny has proven to be one of the most powerful players in the sneaker game both then and now.
-Ian Stonebrook
