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"Penny was a lot of people's favorite player" - Kendrick Perkins recalls when Penny Hardaway was just as adored as Michael Jordan originally appeared on Basketball Network.
When people think of NBA basketball in the 1990s, the first name that usually pops up is Michael Jordan. He was the face of the sport because of his dominance on the court and the cultural wave of Air Jordans. Moreover, his sneaker line was so iconic that the NBA literally had to ban them from being worn in actual games.
But if you ask Kendrick Perkins, MJ wasn't the only player who was making that kind of buzz. In fact, there was another guy whose rise had players wanting to be like him - Anfernee Penny Hardaway.
Hardaway came into the league in 1993, and the hype around him took off fast. Sure, teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal helped put him in the spotlight, but it was Penny's own game that turned heads. A 6'7" point guard with flashy handles, killer court vision and serious scoring skills - he wasn't just good, he was different. He brought smoothness and versatility to the game, which made fans and players alike sit up and pay attention.
So, by the time Nike released Penny's first signature shoe in 1997, the sneaker had become a cultural hit. This was not just because of its cutting-edge Foamposite design, which gave it a futuristic look, but also because everyone wanted a piece of Penny's style.
According to Big Perk, it wasn't just about the shoe but about what Penny represented. Thus, whether it was collegiate or school kids, they idolized him. In Perkins' eyes, the Orlando Magic star was right behind Jordan in that kind of influence and stardom.
"Penny was a lot of people's favorite player. It was, you know, for us, the most popular player - it was Michael Jordan, then Penny Hardaway. Everybody had those Pennys, too," Perkins said. "The next shoe in line was Pennys."
Even Paul Pierce, who entered the league just five years after Penny, doubled down on this notion by admitting he wore Penny's signature shoe to college every day — and it wasn't just for fashion. He admired Penny's game, style, swagger and the influence he had on him, as well as the rest of the young players.
"I used to wear Penny Hardaway's all the time when I was in college," Pierce admitted. "They went with my college uniform in Kansas; I had the blue and white ones. Oh My Gosh!"
Safe to say that Penny had all the makings of being the next basketball icon. He had the game, the look and the charisma to be the face of the league. Unfortunately, injuries hit him hard and early. They messed with his momentum and stripped him of the chance to reach the heights everyone believed he was headed for.
Nevertheless, at least icons like Perkins and Pierce did make such admissions, which will truly make modern-day fans know how, even for a brief period, Penny had the entire basketball world at his fingertips. However, the basketball gods had something else planned for him, as now his legacy is best remembered by his iconic sneaker line, which keeps on getting re-released, such is the demand among fans even to this date.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Continue reading...
When people think of NBA basketball in the 1990s, the first name that usually pops up is Michael Jordan. He was the face of the sport because of his dominance on the court and the cultural wave of Air Jordans. Moreover, his sneaker line was so iconic that the NBA literally had to ban them from being worn in actual games.
But if you ask Kendrick Perkins, MJ wasn't the only player who was making that kind of buzz. In fact, there was another guy whose rise had players wanting to be like him - Anfernee Penny Hardaway.
Big Perk on how popular Penny truly was
Hardaway came into the league in 1993, and the hype around him took off fast. Sure, teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal helped put him in the spotlight, but it was Penny's own game that turned heads. A 6'7" point guard with flashy handles, killer court vision and serious scoring skills - he wasn't just good, he was different. He brought smoothness and versatility to the game, which made fans and players alike sit up and pay attention.
So, by the time Nike released Penny's first signature shoe in 1997, the sneaker had become a cultural hit. This was not just because of its cutting-edge Foamposite design, which gave it a futuristic look, but also because everyone wanted a piece of Penny's style.
According to Big Perk, it wasn't just about the shoe but about what Penny represented. Thus, whether it was collegiate or school kids, they idolized him. In Perkins' eyes, the Orlando Magic star was right behind Jordan in that kind of influence and stardom.
"Penny was a lot of people's favorite player. It was, you know, for us, the most popular player - it was Michael Jordan, then Penny Hardaway. Everybody had those Pennys, too," Perkins said. "The next shoe in line was Pennys."
Paul Pierce admitted to this notion
Even Paul Pierce, who entered the league just five years after Penny, doubled down on this notion by admitting he wore Penny's signature shoe to college every day — and it wasn't just for fashion. He admired Penny's game, style, swagger and the influence he had on him, as well as the rest of the young players.
"I used to wear Penny Hardaway's all the time when I was in college," Pierce admitted. "They went with my college uniform in Kansas; I had the blue and white ones. Oh My Gosh!"
Safe to say that Penny had all the makings of being the next basketball icon. He had the game, the look and the charisma to be the face of the league. Unfortunately, injuries hit him hard and early. They messed with his momentum and stripped him of the chance to reach the heights everyone believed he was headed for.
Nevertheless, at least icons like Perkins and Pierce did make such admissions, which will truly make modern-day fans know how, even for a brief period, Penny had the entire basketball world at his fingertips. However, the basketball gods had something else planned for him, as now his legacy is best remembered by his iconic sneaker line, which keeps on getting re-released, such is the demand among fans even to this date.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Continue reading...
