Nike Air Zoom Flight “Olympic” (1996)

The Nike Air Zoom Flight 96 Olympic OG. — Air Zoom Flight 96 OG

QUICK FACTS

Player: Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway

Colorway: white/navy/gold

Original Release: 1996

Retro: 2016

Designer: Eric Avar

Release Type: general release

Weight: 14.7 ounces

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BACKGROUND

Summer 1996, Atlanta: Following in the footsteps of the 1992 Dream Team is no easy feat. Fortunately, the ‘96 team would feature Penny Hardaway, a player who drew comparisons to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

And for good reason, as the 6’7” combo guard finished the ‘95-‘96 season averaging 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 2 steals before losing to MJ’s 72-10 Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.

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The Nike Air Zoom Flight 96 Olympic OG prototype. — Air Zoom Flight 96 Prototype.

Dream Team III

Penny would continue his well rounded play as a member of the ‘96 Dream Team III, averaging 9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals. His play helped team USA go 8-0 en route to their second straight Olympic gold medal, and third straight gold overall. Two years earlier, Dream Team II won gold during the FIBA World Cup. Penny also traded his jersey number 1 for number 6, as international rules only permitted players to wear numbers 4-15 at the time.

The Nike Air Zoom Flight 96 Olympic OG, front view.

The Shoes

After the ‘92 and ‘94 teams, there was no question that Penny and his teammates had big shoes to fill. Fortunately Nike provided him with the answer: his own PE of the Air Zoom Flight 96 in the white/navy/gold colorway.

Penny Hardaway wearing the Nike Air Zoom Flight 96 Olympic OG. — Penny, wearing the number 6, in the Air Zoom Flight 96 “Olympic”. Image via Sneakernews.

Nike had given several players new shoes to wear, meaning that players like Penny, Charles Barkley and Gary Payton could all be seen wearing different shoes than during the NBA season.

Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley wearing the Nike Air More Uptempo. — Charles Barkley in the Air More Uptempo. Image via Sneakernews.

In his sneaker chronology, the Zoom Flight 96 fell between the Air Max Penny (Penny 1) and the Penny 2. The Zoom Flight 96 didn’t carry Penny’s name or logo but the Olympic colorway featured his number 6 on the heel, arguably counting as a PE rather than an official signature shoe.