Relive the Magic in the Nike Air Penny 5
Earlier this year, of the retro in Orlando Magic colours stoked excitement among the 90s basketball shoe fans, but release details were unknown at the time – until now. They’re back, baby!
As a very late model in the signature series – the Air Penny 5 released in 2012, five years after his retirement – it’s easy to see how much the design has progressed since the 1997 . Gone are the heavy Foamposite uppers, and in their place is a combo of classic leather and modern Hyperfuse bonded mesh panels.
The wavy foam midsole and visible Air heel recalls late-90s Nike basketball design, this is steeped in new tech. However, it does still manage to tap into some classic moves, such as the mix of herringbone traction and ice rubber soles for supreme hardwood grip.
Add the all-white uppers with a hint of blue for the Magic effect, then top things off with Penny’s One Cent logo and pinstripe detailing on the tongue to make the Orlando connection clear. If you were wondering, the colourway references elements of the uniform Penny rocked in the 1996 NBA All-Star game – so it’s genuinely classic stuff.
The Air Penny 5 is out now directly from Nike.