John Kim 
Standing on the broad shoulders of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant, Nike Basketball has never been in a healthier position than it is now. But in the mid-1990s, the official roster of signature athletes was just as robust as it featured two of the NBA’s best – one being Michael Jordan, and the other being Penny Hardaway. Jordan had earned three NBA titles and numerous accolades by the time Penny first stepped on the NBA court, but the youngster from Memphis had all the goods to duplicate Michael’s massive success. Unfortunately, Penny’s story is more along the lines of missed potential rather than achieved greatness, and his signature sneaker line with Nike was halted by the turn of the century. So why is the Air Penny such a hot commodity now?
The successful Air Penny lineage can be defined by one ignorable anomaly. “OG” doesn’t ring as harsh a bell as it does with Air Jordans or Nike runners, but instead the loud, energetic concepts entirely void of anything “Magic-al” are the pieces that total up all the Pennys into a massive sum. Bit it wasn’t a steady, unobstructed climb to the top as you may think; instead, it was a steady attack of Air Penny retro releases and impressive new models that gave Penny a second life in a generation dominated by sports stars, so much so that a signature shoe was made for the Penny in retirement. So how is the Air Penny such a big piece of the puzzle? Here’s a quick timeline of sneaker releases that explains why.
Nike Air Max Penny “Knicks”
This colorway was a big kickstarter to the Retro Penny craze. The Air Penny laid dormant in the archives for a few years, but upon the aging star’s arrival in New York, Nike decided to unearth the Air Max Penny in a brand new “Knicks” colorway in 2005. This definitely caught the attention of New Yorkers, and the success of that release was certainly a desired response. What followed was a slew of other colorways, and it wasn’t until 2006 that the first “Orlando” colorway was brought back.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Blackout”
Without question, the most popular Penny-connected Nike sneaker of all-time is the Air Foamposite One. The shoe is mistakenly referred to as one of Penny Hardaway’s signature shoes, but the truth is that the Foamposites were never officially part of the Nike Air Penny lineage. In fact, the sneakers weren’t even meant for him; the shoes were originally debuted by Mike Bibby of the Arizona Wildcats, but Penny spotted the early samples when he and Nike designer Eric Avar met to talk about the Air Penny III. It was love at first sight for the Orlando superstar, so Nike slapped on Penny’s 1-Cent logo on the tongue and heel, and a legend was born.
In January of 2007, the Royal Foams were re-released in limited numbers. The following “Blackout” in August of the same year was the first new colorway of the Air Foamposite One, and it couldn’t be more perfect since the shoe was always compared to a rugged combat boot. Following the “Blackout” was a couple of similar releases with different colored outsoles (Cactus, Varsity Red), but those weren’t as coveted and ended up sitting on shelves in some areas.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Dark Army”
Remember 2008, when House of Hoops was the hottest new shop on the scene? Foot Locker and Nike teamed up for this all-things-basketball retail location, with super-limited releases bringing in hordes of campers out on 125th St. in Harlem. The “Dark Army” Foamposite, limited to just 82 pairs, was a true treat for the locals and hardcore Foam fanatics, and to this day stands as one of the most coveted Foamposites of this time. Still, the Air Foamposite One was still viewed as a cult item rather than a mainstream hit, but the popularity of the shoe was definitely growing.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Eggplant”
By 2009, the demand for Foamposites grew considerably. Aftermarket prices for previous iterations were rising, and it was time for Nike to revisit the Foams in a brand new way – by bringing in Varsity Purple aka “Eggplant” to the mix. The shoes were considered a success and the Air Penny was definitely on the up-and-up; it was perfect timing for the first-ever Air Penny II Retro in 2009 and the debut of a brand new model to the Air Penny legacy – the first in a decade.
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The Nike Air Penny line came to a stop in 1999 with the Air Penny IV. Hardaway’s career had severely declined due to injury, and it didn’t make much sense for Nike to continue with a series for a player who was no longer regarded an elite figure in the league. In the mid 2000s, the cult following grew mainstream and the various Penny-based Retro releases were hits; the Air Max Penny, Air Penny II, and Air Foamposite One re-issues were met with huge fanfare, and Nike capitalized on the craze with an all-new model – the Air 1/2 Cent.
This brand new design is regarded as the most celebrated “hybrid” sneaker in Nike history. Combining the entire Air Penny signature line and the Air Foamposite One, the Air 1/2 Cent was an immediate hit and certainly one of the more popular sneakers during its short reign in 2009-2010. It was a hybrid done right, and it was clear that the Air Penny lineage had plenty of potential beyond classic re-issues.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Copper”
We try to stay away from this terminology, but “hyped” is one accurate way to describe the Coppers. The shoe was a clear spin off of the iconic “Penny” nickname, and campouts for this release formed at several locations. It can be argued that this release properly reflected the notion that the Air Foamposite was now for the masses, but what about the Air Penny?
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In 2011, Nike strayed away from Foamposite and delved a bit further into Penny’s on-court sneaker history, pointing specifically to his rookie season. The Air Go LWP and the Air Flight One were in heavy use for the Orlando rookie, and so designer Marc Dolce used signature elements of those to mid-90’s models for the Foamposite-based Zoom Rookie infrastructure. Several colorways of the Zoom Rookie hit production, but the most significant was the “glow in the dark” version that served as a springboard to the GITD craze of 2012.
Nike Air Foamposite One “Galaxy”
We know you’re all a bit tired about hearing about this shoe, but it has to be pointed out that the Galaxy Foams was the epitome of mainstream influence. It changed the way Nike approached sneaker releases, and the graphic print, inspired by space travel, was one of the most duplicated in footwear and streetwear fashion. Galaxy didn’t necessarily make Foamposite popular – it only confirmed it.
It also started a trend within the shoe, because Nike is now knee-deep in non-tonal concepts for the sneaker (see: Supreme, ParaNorman, Fighter Jet, etc.)
Nike Lil’ Penny Posite
Officially billed as “a symbolic follow-up to the Air 1/2 Cent”, the Nike Lil’ Penny Posite gives direct tribute to Hardaway’s sidekick – Lil’ Penny. The sneaker brings in elements of the Zoom Rookie and Air Up and is fortified with Posite uppers and a full-length Lunar midsole/Zoom heel combo. Several colorways have already been spotted, so expect them to release after the first “Shooting Stars” colorway hits stores alongside the Foamposite counterpart on May 17th.
Will Lil’ Penny another major focus for Nike Sportswear Basketball? It doesn’t appear that the Penny is losing its value anytime soon.
