Man arrested for stealing 26 pairs of shoes from Penny Hardaway’s home in Memphis

Ronald James, 42, was arrested Thursday by Memphis police on a charge of theft of property. James is accused of stealing several boxes from the home of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway earlier this month and carrying them off in a shopping cart.

Hardaway told WREG that the alleged theft, which was caught on camera, included 26 pairs of special sneakers made for family and friends. Those included one-of-a-kind Foamposites, which were part of a line of Nike sneakers made famous by Hardaway during his days as an NBA All-Star with the Orlando Magic.

It is unclear whether authorities recovered the goods.

A regular pair of Foamposites costs around $200 on Nike’s website, but these custom versions made specifically for Hardaway and his family are likely worth much more.

Nike and Hardaway’s partnership stretches back decades. Last year, the apparel company released a special shoe — the Nike Air Max Penny 1 Lester Middle School Edition — in tribute to his former middle school. Earlier this year, Memphis, Nike and Hardaway co-launched the “1 Cent” brand. The special apparel line features the Memphis logo and includes T-shirts, long-sleeve T-shirts, hoodies and more.

Hardaway has become a legend in the area after staying home to play his college basketball at Memphis State. He emerged as a star for the Tigers and became the No. 3 pick in the NBA draft. He moved into coaching in 2015, first at East High School in Memphis, Tennessee. He has been a coach at the University of Memphis since 2018.