Kicks

Devin Booker Pays Homage to Penny Hardaway with the Nike Book 1

Devin Booker debuted a player-exclusive colorway of the Nike Book 1 that honored Penny Hardaway.

Pat Benson

Mar 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center.
Mar 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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The Phoenix Suns need every win they can get to sneak into the Western Conference Playoffs. That starts with a crucial game against the Dallas Mavericks today, who currently have the 10th spot in the standings.

Suns guard Devin Booker is bringing the heat to Sunday's nationally televised game with one of the best Nike Book 1 colorways yet. Booker is using his signature sneaker to pay homage to NBA legend Penny Hardaway.

Of course, most fans remember Hardaway for his time with the Orlando Magic. But let us not forget his time with the Suns, which coincided with the twilight years of his signature Nike sneaker line.

Just before Sunday's game, Booker teased the colorway with a picture on his Instagram story. Then, much to the delight of old-school hoops fans everywhere, Booker debuted the kicks on court against the Mavericks.

Booker's player-exclusive colorway of the Nike Book 1 paid homage to Hardaways Nike Air Penny 5 in the "Phoenix Suns" colorway. While fans figure out a name for this colorway, we will refer to it as the Nike Book 1 "Penny" until further notice.

The Nike Book 1 "Penny" sports a black upper, grey overlays, and a sunset gradient design on the midsoles that fade from purple to pink to orange. Meanwhile, Hardaway's signature "1 Cent" logo appears on the right tongue with the "Book" logo on the left tongue.

To answer everyone's next question: will these sneakers be released to the public? Sadly, there is no chance of that happening. Nike has saved many of Booker's best colorways for player exclusives.

The silver lining is that online shoppers can choose from several other general release colorways of the performance model on the Nike website.

The Nike Book 1 has served as a canvas to pay homage to older sneakers from the brand's catalog and NBA legends like Hardaway and Steve Nash. We keep saying it, but this might be the best colorway of the Nike Book 1 yet.

Booker is the all-time leading scorer in Suns' franchise history, but he continues to pay homage to the legends that came before him in the league and footwear industry.

Fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all their footwear news from the basketball world and beyond.

More Devin Booker Sneakers News

Nike and Devin Booker are paying tribute to Flagstaff, Arizona.

The Nike Book 1 shows love to Sedona, Arizona.

The Nike Book 1 appears in a Kentucky Wildcats colorway.

The Nike Book 1 gets two Oregon Ducks colorways.

The Nike Book 1 "Sunset" draws inspiration from the Phoenix Suns uniforms.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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