words_Nick DePaula When the Sole Collector team interviewed Penny Hardaway last fall in Memphis for our 25th Issue, we got to learn a great deal about his sneaker knowledge and involvement with Nike. Unlike some athletes, Penny was truly invested in the direction of his signature line during the 1990’s, and in entrusting the design mastermind that is Eric Avar with his footwear, he never once feared that his shoes wouldn’t offer the most in terms of both looks and performance. During the interview, he was pretty honest about his feelings towards the digital camo Penny IV Retro , which he described with a laugh as “freaky.” Afterwards, I asked him what colorways he wished Nike would try out on some of his shoes, and he immediately said, “A real Penny color. Copper, like a penny.” When I mentioned the whole account a few months later to the two fellas at Nike who are tasked with planning out which shoes to retro and in what colorways, they looked at each other and giggled like schoolgirls. “You don’t say,” one said with a smirk. Sure enough, a Foamposite One in Black/Copper had been in the works already, and it will see a release during the Spring of 2010 that will be comparable to this year’s Eggplant Foamposite One drop, which retailed for $200. Penny Hardaway is surely smiling somewhere… Penny holding the Foamposite One in its most memorable colorway at his home last fall…

Copper Nike Air Foamposite One Retro