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Penny Hardaway recalls how Michael Jordan rocked his sneakers: "It was the ultimate level of respect"
Michael Jordan and his Air Jordans are phenom to this day; since entering the league, his shoes have always been attractive to fans and other players. Even today, his shoe line is picky with its stars; you have to be special to be the brand ambassador.
So, being a player in whose signature shoe MJ played is a rare feat, and it was made by none other than Penny Hardaway. In the 1995 playoffs, His Airness opted to play in the Magic star guard's shoes.
A basketball god wearing his shoes
During Game 3 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semis between the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic, MJ caught the attention of all as he laced up Penny's shoes — a black Air Flight One.
It was an intriguing move, considering that his Jordan brand has dominated the footwear scenes worldwide. Still fresh in his memories of how Mike demanded his shoes, Hardaway recalled how he fell in awe when he saw the Bulls star wearing his Air Flight One.
"He's Michael Jordan, He was the man. He didn't ask me for them. He just told Nike to give them to him," Hardaway said. "He said, 'Hey, man, give me some of the kid's shoes.' I thought, Of course … how many pairs do you need? Do you need mine? It was like, 'That's Michael Jordan … wearing my shoes.'”
An ultimate gesture from the game's greatest
MJ encountered constraints in his shoes at the start of the playoff series. Debuting the Air Jordan Concord XI, the NBA warned him that its colors violated the league's dress code. In the following match, he wore a white version of the shoes, which ultimately triggered a fine. With the black color of his signature shoe yet to be released, Mike ultimately leaned on rocking Penny's Air Flight One.
Knowing MJ, it was an ultimate honor of respect for Penny that the basketball great selected to wear his Nike sneakers.
"We all know that Michael Jordan is one of the fiercest competitors ever. He's not gonna wear just anybody's shoe … he wouldn't do that for a lot of people," Hardaway said. "For him to do that for me, it was the ultimate level of respect."
