The Penny Hardaway Nike Air Foamposite One PE Will Drop In 2023
26 years after its debut, the long-awaited Penny Hardaway Nike Air Foamposite One PE will hit retailers sometime next year. The Foamposite silhouette has seen some major traction as of late, with the One PE colorway at the top of the list for shoe collectors worldwide..
Nike did release a star-printed version of the shoe known as “Shooting Stars” back in 2014, drawing inspiration from a PE worn by Penny during the 2012 All-Star Weekend. However, this Penny Hardaway Nike Air Foamposite One PE specific variant has never been made available. The upcoming release is expected to closely mimic the original exclusives.
This 1997 classic features a new white and black color scheme with a white and wavy molded upper and the signature black nubuck on its lace collar. With an interior lining made of mesh, the eyestay covers use black suede while the outsoles of the sneakers are built with a slightly translucent finish, just like many other Foamposite colorways we’ve come across.
A little fun fact about the creation of the Foamposites — its design was inspired by a beetle, and the plastic-based materials used were out of line from the usual leathers and rubbers that the previous generation were accustomed to for basketball footwear. Fast forward about three decades, almost all the new tech worn by NBA athletes are majorly plastic based.
At the time, the hype around the Foamposites wasn’t the same as it is now, with only limited amounts produced by Nike. Not even Penny Hardaway was the first prime player to wear the shoe. It was actually Mike Bibby during his 1997 collegiate career in Arizona. Hardaway eventually laced up the Foamposite Ones with his Orlando Magic uni later that year.
Priced at $240, the Nike Air Foamposite One PE doesn’t have an exact release date but it’s been confirmed to debut in 2023.