Penny Hardaway’s Original Nike Air Foamposite One Returns This Week
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Update: Sept. 11, 2024 at 12:40 p.m. ET:
It’s been several months since Nike confirmed the return of Penny Hardaway’s fan-favorite Air Foamposite One in its original “Dark Neon Royal” style and now, the reissued sneakers are almost here.
The Nike Air Foamposite One “Dark Neon Royal” is confirmed to be released Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. ET on Nike’s SNKRS app and will also be available from select Nike Sportswear retailers. The sneakers are priced at $240 retail. In addition to the adult pairs, a big kids’ Little Posite One will retail for $180, little kids at $100, toddler sizes at $80 and infants at $60.
Originally released in 1997, the Nike Air Foamposite One is in the midst of a renaissance of sorts. This year, the retro basketball sneaker returned in its coveted “Eggplant” style, got a new-look Comme des Gar?ons Homme Plus collaboration, was given a video game collaboration with “Tekken 8” and most recently, was released in a “DMV” colorway which paid homage to the region that helped popularize the model. And in 2025, the “Galaxy” Air Foamposite One from 2012 will be rereleased for the first time ever.
It’s worth noting that the colorway is nicknamed “International Blue” by some sources, but the official colorway listed on the shoebox — “Dark Neon Royal/White/Black — matches that of the original ’97 pair.
What We Originally Reported on June 16, 2024
One of the most storied sneakers in Nike’s vast archive is set for a comeback soon — and the brand paid extra attention to detail for this retro.
The Nike Air Foamposite One “Dark Neon Royal” returns this fall for the first time since its 20th anniversary in 2017. Made famous by Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway during his playing days with the Orlando Magic, the Nike Air Foamposite One debuted in 1997 and was a groundbreaking sneaker that not only shook up basketball footwear design, but had a lasting impact on street style.
Although not originally intended to be a Penny signature shoe (designer Eric Avar had instead planned for Scottie Pippen to wear the sneaker), Hardaway is said to have seen an early version of the Air Foamposite One during a Nike meeting and decided to make it his own. Before he had a chance to do so during the ’97 NBA postseason, he was beaten to the punch by Mike Bibby, who laced up the shoes while leading the Arizona Wildcats to the NCCA men’s championship.
The original “Dark Neon Royal” style of the Nike Air Foamposite one has been rereleased four times thus far: first in 2007, again in 2008 as a House of Hoops exclusive, a third time in 2011 and most recently, in 2017.
What makes this retro unique is Nike’s attempt to mimic an early prototype of the Air Foamposite One, which featured small design differences. Previously unavailable to the public, the pair was featured in a memorable “1-800” number advertisement and includes subtle tweaks such as a two-tone carbon fiber shank and a blue-outlined toe Swoosh logo.
This Nike Air Foamposite One “Dark Neon Royal” is due to release Fall 2024, meaning it could start hitting retailers as soon as late July or early August. Official product images (below) are now accessible on Nike’s e-commerce site, which is often indicative of a near-future release. A retail price of $240 is expected.
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