It’s Not the Shoes: A History of Hoopers Injured in Celebrated Sneakers

Penny Hardaway – Nike Air Penny 3

photo via Uproxx/The Grand Archives

In his young prime, Penny Hardaway was one of the top players in the NBA. A joy to watch, he gave the Golden Era Bulls fits and dazzled like the second coming of Magic Johnson. Unfortunately, Hardaway’s career would have hiccups due to numerous injuries. The injuries would occur during the later days of his famous Nike Air Penny line and eventually in top-tier shoes from the Nike Flight camp. While Penny fought injuries in Nikes, he also made All-Star and All-NBA teams just the same in those shoes.

Despite injuries putting a damper on his career, the Penny Hardaway signature line is more than thriving on the retro market. Numerous NBA stars of today take to the hardwood in various models from the Nike Air Penny, with the Penny-endorsed Foamposite franchise also favorited on and off court. Though Penny did get hurt at a time when Nike Air Penny sneakers were hot, it should be noted that this stint of injuries started in a point in his career where he had more mileage. This also came at a time when he had to carry more of the team weight with Shaq moving to LA. While everyone may wonder what could’ve been, both Penny and his kicks remain beloved by fans of basketball and sneakers alike.