The hard-nosed forward with the league’s best footwear game is back for another postseason run. From arrival to on-court, Boardroom breaks down every last pair of PJ Tucker shoes as they’ve appeared game-by-game.
The 2022 NBA Playoffs have been marked by physicality and parity. At the apex of both inclines is PJ Tucker. Moving to Miami after winning a ‘ship with the Bucks last season, the rugged Longhorn has mixed it up with Trae Young, James Harden, and Jayson Tatum in each of the postseason’s three rounds so far — all while mixing up his notorious shoe game with the same level of energy and unexpectedness.
Of course, at this point in history, the unexpected is what to expect from the wide world of PJ Tucker shoes. After a college career in Austin that saw an unprecedented amount of hardwood heat, the former Big 12 Player of the Year has been around the world in pursuit of his hoop dreams, now serving as the kind of revered role player that every roster wishes they had.
NBA GMs wish they had Tucker’s toughness on defense and sneakerheads wish they had his collection. Spanning states and eras, the Heat forward has brought out a bit of everything this postseason, often wearing up to four different pairs of sneakers on a given night. His shoe game knows no boundaries, undeterred by the serious implications of guarding the opposing team’s best offensive threat, while showing deference to Heat Culture.
Though most of Tucker’s talents are measured in impact plays that involve diving on the floor and don’t end up in the box score, his affinity for footwear can be quantified in plain numbers, whether we’re talking about total pairs to social media interactions. With that in mind, check out our all-inclusive breakdown of every last pair of PJ Tucker shoes worn from tunnel to warm-up, tip-off to overtime, throughout this 2022 postseason — including Boardroom’s estimated values for each on the sneaker resale market.
Round 1 vs. Atlanta Hawks
Game 1 // Air Jordan 11 IE Low “Gym Red”
- The Air Jordan 11 IE Low is the ultimate B-Side. Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the summer version of the patent proper ditched its shiny sheen for ventilation and the return of elephant print, first introduced on the Air Jordan 3. While the model debuted in 1996, this “Gym Red” rendition recalls an unreleased MJ PE, but came to retail for the first time in 2017.
- “It’s crazy because a lot of the original shoes from back in the day are even built different [now as a retro.]” Tucker once recalled to Boardroom’s Nick DePaula. “They’re a little more hollow, and you can tell that Nike has gotten so much better with the engineering of shoes and the comfort. A lot of times, I put in my own insoles, so I can get through and make it work.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $350
Game 2 // Nike Kobe 4 Protro PE + Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE
- Designed by Eric Avar and worn by Kobe Bryant, the Nike Kobe 4 broke the mold in 2009 with its use of Flywire support and low top cut. In 2019, the model returned in Protro form to the delight of hoop purists.
- “That’s my all-time favorite basketball shoe,” PJ revealed to DePaula. “I very seriously doubt that’ll ever change.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,500
- The Nike Kobe 6 dates back to 2010, revived in Protro form in 2020. Designed by Avar, the low-top look gained collector cache thanks to its scaly, Black Mamba inspired aesthetic.
- “When I signed my new deal with Nike, that was one of my things: I wanted to be able to be hands-on,” Tucker told DePaula in 2019. “I’m super into it, and it’s not just me playing in shoes – it’s way bigger than that. This has been my life, my entire life. I’ve loved sneakers my whole life and it’s always been my thing.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,700
Game 3 // Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Black/Solar Red Yeezy” PE
- In 2012, the Nike Air Yeezy 2 dropped in Black/Solar Red and “Pure Platinum” colorways, in extremely limited numbers. The famous color palettes have been revived in spirit on Tucker’s revered Nike Kobe 6 Protro PEs. Despite making Yeezy-inspired Kobes of all origins, this particular pair is PJ’s personal pick.
- “For me, it’s always the Red Solars, because that’s my favorite Yeezy,” Tucker revealed to DePaula.
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $2,000
Game 4 // Nike Dunk Low “Doernbecher” + Nike Kobe 1 Protro DeMar DeRozan PE
- Off the court, PJ Tucker has long been an advocate for the Nike Dunk, rocking 2013’s charitable “Doernbecher” colorway when arriving for Game 4. While Tuck loves Dunks in NSW and SB form, don’t expect him to ever rock them on-court.
- “I would never play in SB Dunks, man!” Tucker declared in 2019 to Nice Kicks. “I can do Jordan 1s because they’re high tops, but SB Dunks are a no-go. People always ask me that but I can’t do that. They are not made for basketball. If I played basketball in some SB Dunks I would definitely get crossed.” [Laughs]
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $2,000
- The first Nike Kobe to get the Protro treatment was fittingly the Nike Zoom Kobe 1. In 2018, a hand-selected group of Swoosh hoopers got their own patent leather PEs, including DeMar DeRozan.
- “I love seeing the really great players in this world achieve and come out with super cool shoes,” Tucker told Luis Torres in 2020 regarding DeRozan and other former teammates. “That makes me happier than anything.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $6,000
Game 5 // Nike Kobe 1 Protro DeMar DeRozan PE + Nike Kobe 1 Protro Devin Booker PE
- While PJ has his pick of sneakers with his NBA budget, NIL ballers like Arizona’s Dalen Terry tout DeRozan’s patent leather Protro PEs as a grail. Though Terry played in the “All-Star” edition in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, he has his eyes on this red pair for the next time he’s on the big stage.
- “All my teammates are like, ‘You’re gonna be like PJ Tucker!’ Terry told Boardroom in April. “And I go, ‘Nah, I’m gonna be better. I just started earlier than him.’”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $6,000
- Of the same ilk and era, the 2018 Nike Kobe 1 Protro Devin Booker PE packs the same patent leather shine and the same special ties to PJ when it comes to supporting his friends and former teammates.
- “For me, that’s special,” Tucker told DePaula. “That’s my rook, and he’s just as much of a Kobe fan as I am. Obviously, him and all his PEs, he has so much fire. Still, it’s like a tribute to be able to honor him.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $15,000
Round 2 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Game 1 // OG Nike Kobe 10 “Majors” + Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Platinum Yeezy” PE + Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE + OG Nike Kobe 5 “Aston Martin”
- After an array of low-top looks, the Nike Kobe 9 and subsequent Kobe 10 took things above the ankle with boxing boot cuts, complemented by lighter equivalents. The Nike Kobe 10 “Majors” (or “Hot Lava”) is a tough find today, as most hoopers wore out their pairs when released in 2015. However, that doesn’t stop PJ from hunting.
- “My first debit card was because of eBay, so I could buy shoes,” PJ admitted to Aaron Dodson in 2019. “It never stops, man. It’s 24 hours a day. It’s part of my life. I just love sneakers. It’s just something that I do unconsciously every day.” (NOTE: PJ’s eBay user name? @pjtucker.)
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,000
- Another member of PJ’s Kobe 6 Yeezy PE cipher is the “Pure Platinum” pair, inspired by Kanye’s second signature shoe with the Swoosh. The palette is recalled all the way to the outsoles.
- “[Nike] gave me the ability to step in and do the things that I wanted to do with my PEs,” Tucker told DePaula in 2020. “With COVID and not being able to go to Portland, we were having Zoom calls to design my shoes. The idea I came up with was to do a Yeezy-inspired Kobe 6 with all of the different Yeezy colorways for my first round [of PEs.] “
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,800
- To some, 2009’s Nike Kobe 5 is amongst the best basketball shoes ever created. By 2019, the model returned as a Protro with PJ getting his own PE pairs (like the ones above) to rock exclusively on-court. In 2020, a PJ PE released on SNKRS to the delight (and Ls) of many.
- “That was probably the most special thing, just to see the shoe that I created come out in stores where people could have a chance to get ’em,” PJ said to DePaula. “The reception that I got from the shoes? Insane. I never would’ve guessed that people were going to love ‘em the way that they did. They sold out so fast everywhere. On the SNKRS app, I lost, bro! I got that screenshot saved still. ‘You were not selected for your shoe.’ I’ve never won, not one time.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,600
- The Aston Martin Pack revived the Nike Hyperdunk and Nike Kobe 5 as an homage to Kobe Bryant’s viral clip that showcases him leaping over a speeding car. Though Kobe’s stunt may have been CGI’d, Tucker was willing to risk it all when lacing up his pair of Kobe 5s against the Sixers, taking on yet another top defensive assignment.
- “You know I’m guarding James,” Tucker told Andscape’s Marcus J. Spears in May. “There’s no two ways around it. They look for him to do what he does, and they want him to be him. And to win, we have to stop him. So that’s what I do.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $5,000 (for the pack)
Game 2 // Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE + Air Jordan 11 IE Low “Cobalt” + Nike Zoom G.T. Run PE + Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Sunset” PE
- For those keeping track at home, it was December 2018 when Tucker received his first-ever PE in the form of the Nike Hyperdunk X Low. While his first PE played to the tones of his team at the time in Houston, changes in league rules have allowed him to co-create wilder exclusives.
- “Young guys will never understand what we went through back in the day, man,” Tucker revealed to DePaula regarding the color rule changes. “To get threats, to get fined for so much money for the color of a shoe? It used to be crazy.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,700
- Unlike the “Gym Red” rendition above, the “Cobalt” Air Jordan 11 IE Low is an original colorway. First released in 1996, this pair has returned in 2003 and 2015.
- “I’m always on the hunt for old stuff,” Tucker told me in 2019. “That era when I grew up, the early ’90s, that’s like the golden era of basketball sneakers to me personally.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $400
- Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the Nike G.T. series has been a staple on the NBA and WNBA hardwood. Whether in pickup play or postseason action, Tucker has been chosen by Nike to design his own Player Exclusive makeups of the Nike Zoom GT Run.
- “That was like one of those life goal type of situations,” PJ admitted to NDP. “To be able to make your own PEs, I could never explain that to somebody.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $700
- Nike Air Yeezy 2s weren’t the only thing that inspired PJ’s pack of Kobe 6 Protro PEs. Many of the colors were derived from PJ’s time and teams overseas. When Nick DePaula asked him his favorite, the choice was clear.
- “The Ukraine, the Donetsk pair, just cause of the bold colors. When I look at that shoe, I have so many Ukraine stories. Ukraine is a special place. For sure those, and the Israel pair too. Looking at that pair, it just brings back so many emotions, from the chip, MVP, and everything I accomplished that year.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,700
Game 3 // Air Jordan 1 “Varsity Red Travis Scott” Custom + Air Jordan 8 “Rui Hachimura” + OG Nike Kobe 10 “Bright Crimson”
- What do you do when you have every pair of kicks? Have someone make something new. Such is the case with this custom pair of Air Jordan 1s made for PJ, inspired by acclaimed Travis Scott collabs. When jumping on a jet during a series swing or a road trip, Tucker takes a suitcase.
- “When I pack, it usually depends on how many games we’re on the road and where we’re going,” Tucker told Nice Kicks in 2018. “I have to know where we’re playing, know what colors we’re wearing, and I kind of base my selection off of that. If it’s a one-game trip, I’m going to have about six pairs because I’ll switch it up. Some days, I’ll feel a certain way, then we’ll land somewhere and I’ll feel another and on game day, I might feel another.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,000
- The Air Jordan 8 — another Tinker Hatfield design — has been revived in retro life many times. This pair is inspired by Wizards forward Rui Hachimura, making it into PJ’s shootaround rotation. Because of PJ’s famous feet, cameras now attend pre-game events, but that’s never been his reason for rocking rarities.
- “If there were no Instagram, if there were no video cameras at games, I would still change shoes and do it every single day like I do,” Tucker told DePaula. “It’s part of my life and something that I do every day. I probably spend four hours a day of my free time on the phone texting, buying, figuring out who has what, and trying to get stuff. It’s something that I’ll do probably until the day I die.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $300
- Like Kobe, PJ Tucker is revered for his tenacity. As a member of the Miami Heat, no one appreciates the energy and integrity of Tucker more than the team’s head honcho.
- “I don’t know if I’ve ever liked somebody as much as I like Pat,” Tucker told Andscape‘s Marc J. Spears. “He has not said a word all season. I have been on teams where owners and presidents come in and say, ‘What y’all doing?’ Bro, Pat Riley hasn’t said one word all year. Pat text messages with me and it’s so crazy because the first one I got, I saw his name and I was like, ‘Oh, I messed up. I don’t know what I did. He saw something on the floor he didn’t like.’ And he said, ‘Hey, Tuck. I love it. That’s what I’m talking about. Hey, keep the guys together, keep doing this, keep doing that.’”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,000
Game 4 // Nike Air Force 1 High + KITH x Nike LeBron 15 “Closing Ceremony” + Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Blink Yeezy” PE
- Introduced in 1982, the Nike Air Force 1 High is a seminal sneaker in the history of Nike hoops. Based on the black upper, white Swoosh, and black midsole, this particular pair on PJ is likely a modern collaboration with ALYX, VLONE, or Supreme. Regardless, the silo and blocking are as throwback as it gets.
- “I’m a total old school guy,” Tucker emphasized to Luis Torres in 2020. “I like the way some of the new stuff looks, man. I’ll wear the fresh stuff, the hype stuff that everybody likes. Only if I really like it though. I don’t wear it just to wear it. I have to love it. If not, then I’m not wearing it.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,000
- In 2018, Ronnie Fieg’s KITH teamed up with Nike for a range of elevated Nike LeBron 15s. Prior to his celebrated work with the Swoosh, Fieg worked up some of the most celebrated retro running collaborations for an array of brands. In 2019, Tucker was weighing where he wanted to sign his next shoe deal and went back to find some of Fieg’s former hits.
- “I went and got a bunch of the old Ronnie Fieg [collaborations with] Asics and New Balance that he did for Kith in the beginning,” Tucker told DePaula during his sneaker free agency. “It’s super rare to find a 14 in those – like crazy impossible.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,000
- PJ Tucker holds everyone from Larry Johnson to Chris Webber in high regard when it comes to their kicks on court. Off the court? It’s another icon.
- “The tribute to Kanye?” Tucker told Nick DePaula on The Sneaker Game. “I always looked up to him. In my venture into fashion and wanting to get into stuff, he was a huge part of that early on. Doing those colorways of his shoe was fun.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $2,000
Game 5 // CLOT x Air Jordan 5 Low + Nike Kobe 4 Protro PE + Nike Zoom G.T. Run PE
- The Air Jordan 5 debuted in 1990 and has been a mainstay on the market and hardwood for years. Though Tucker’s wear of the 2022 CLOT x Air Jordan 5 Low happened this postseason, it was years ago when he wore a Shawn Marion Air Jordan 5 PE in Charlotte that still sticks out.
- “I just remember [Michael Jordan] calling my name, during the game,” PJ recalled to DePaula. “I was in the corner, and I heard him calling my name. I looked back and he smiled. It was crazy. For Mike to even say something about it was crazy.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $200
- Why does Tucker keep going back to this Nike Kobe 4 Protro PE in big games? Quite simply, it’s because they’re still atop his personal list of favorites.
- “If I had to pick one shoe that I could do, it would definitely be a Kobe, like a 4,” PJ once told DePaula. “The opportunity that I got to do that was the craziest thing. It was so mind-blowing to actually get ‘em.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,500
- For famous Nike hoopers who don’t have their own signature shoe, like PJ Tucker and Ja Morant, the Nike Zoom G.T. Run has been a canvas for captivating Player Exclusives.
- “With the GT Run, I’m doing a run of the Runs,” PJ relayed to DePaula before. “I just did some colorways that are kind of out there. Mixing some different browns, some purples, and just really having fun. They have nothing to do with any kind of colorways of anything. It was literally just having fun.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $700
Game 6 // Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 Friends & Family + OG Nike Kobe 4 “Del Sol” PE + Air Jordan 36 Gun Ailun PE + Nike Kobe 4 Protro PE
- Of all the sneakers associated with Travis Scott, his unreleased Air Jordan 4 draped in deep purple may be the most coveted. Getting to know La Flame during his playing days in Houston, PJ was blessed with a pair.
- “Trav is my guy,” Tucker emphasized to DePaula. “He got me these – Cactus Jack, Friends and Family. It’s one of my favorite PEs I’ve seen.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $40,000
- The price above might wow you, but this unreleased Nike Kobe 4 sample circa 2008 is arguably even rarer. Before Game 6 of the Conference Semis, PJ tested out this alternate “Del Sol” style to see if they’d hold up. Sporting an ostrich toe box, white perforated collar, and originally made for Bryant himself, this isn’t the first time he’s had to pay top dollar for a rarity.
- The most expensive? NDP once asked him: “Probably the Air Mag, just because it was for charity, that was a pretty big shoe. Especially the second auto-lace one, they were going for so much. That one was naturally just a lot of money. It was like $36,000.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $4,000
- Around the NBA and WNBA, the Air Jordan 36 has caught traction thanks to its lightweight build and sleek design. Of the Brand Jordan roster, many rising stars have secured their own elusive or exclusive colorways.
- “I love a bunch of the Jordan guys that are getting the crazy 36s,” Tucker shared with DePaula. “Jayson Tatum, he’s having a bunch of fun with his line, doing a bunch of different colorways. Mike Conley, and a bunch of those different Jordan guys, they’re all having fun with it. Luka, all of those guys.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $400
- Count on PJ to bring these out for big games. Though these may be the go-to, it’s a drop of water in the ocean where his collection is concerned.
- “I stopped [counting] at 4,000 in like 2011 or 2012, and I haven’t counted since,” PJ admitted to Chris Cason back in 2018. “I give away so many and we get so many every day – me and my brother. I have a room where I store and stock them and there’s a room with all the stuff I wear and the things I’m going to wear.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,500
Round 3 vs. Boston Celtics
Game 1 // Nike Air Force 1 Low “Carnival” + Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE + Steve Wiebe x Air Jordan 10
- First released in 2003, the Nike Air Force 1 Low “Carnival” came back in 2017 to celebrate West London’s biggest street festival. Ebbing in and out of the cultural zeitgeist, Tucker has remained loyal to the AF1 in tunnel fits, where he often carries in his trademark #HeatInHand.
- “I don’t know if people are trying to take credit for that,” PJ told me with a laugh in 2019, “But if you run it back, I definitely started that. It wasn’t on purpose. I had a pair of shoes I was gonna play in — it wasn’t the purpose to show off shoes — but I must’ve left the bag at the hotel or the house so I had to walk in with them.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $300
- This reoccurring Protro PE from PJ has no ties to the Miami Heat in regard to their uniforms. With the new rules and PJ’s personal sense of style, it doesn’t have to.
- “It’s about the individuality of them,” PJ said about his PEs to Aaron Dodson in 2019. “For me having my own now, it’s about picking those colorways surrounding how I’m feeling and what I wanted at the time.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,700
- The Steve Wiebe x Air Jordan 10 is not new to PJ in the playoffs. Funny enough, Tucker actually broke out this same style in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals back in 2018. Playing against the Jazz, PJ was tasked with chasing around Donovan Mitchell — another prized product from the famed 2017 NBA Draft class. Mitchell has his own signature shoe, while Tatum has one on the way. Tucker, on the other hand? Not interested in being tied down to one namesake model.
- “I’ve never wanted a signature shoe,” Tucker told Nick DePaula in 2019. “I still don’t. That’s not something that I’ve ever been interested in — wearing the same pair of shoes all the time. That’s not my thing. I need variety.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,500
Game 2 // Crenshaw Skate Club x Air Jordan 36 Low “Tobey” PE
- Leaning into the new, PJ broke out the Crenshaw Skate Club x Air Jordan 36 Low early on in the Eastern Conference Finals. The unreleased exclusive is high on cross-over culture and function.
- “The 36 is a great shoe for skating,” Crenshaw Skate Club founder Tobey McIntosh told Boardroom in May. “If you saw the 36, you’d never think about it until you tried it. I wanted to try that, test it out, and they’re actually pretty good.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,000
Game 3 // Air Jordan 1 High “Quai 54” Friends & Family + OG Nike Kobe 4 “Del Sol” Sample + Air Jordan 13 “Oregon” PE + Nike Zoom G.T. Run PE
- In 2017, the Jordan Brand blessed their closest compadres with a gift inspired by their Parisian hoops tournament, Quai 54. That gift, an Air Jordan 1 High with split-styling, hits home for Tucker.
- “My first pair of Jordans and my first pair of sneakers were the Jordan 1s,” Tucker revealed to DePaula. “That’s why I hold it special to my heart.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,600
- Remember those ostrich toe OG Kobe samples PJ wore for shoot-around a few games back? He played in them and they broke. As it relates to the elder class of PJ Tucker shoes, this is not a new phenomenon.
- “My Phoenix teammates used to wait for stuff to happen,” PJ once told DePaula. “They used to bet if a pair was going to make it or not. Some ‘Ginger’ Jordan 16s completely blew off. The whole sole, literally, my foot was on the ground. I left the whole sole on the court.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $4,000
- The Air Jordan 13 Oregon Ducks PE is just one of many coveted kicks gifted to team members of select UO rosters. Always finding a way, PJ has finagled a few rarities that he wears on and off-court.
- “Oregon always has the best,” Tucker told DePaula, when it comes to collegiate PEs. “To be able to get all of the Oregon stuff? And that new 8 is fire. I just love all of the colorways and the ideas they come up with, and they change ‘em up. It’s dope that all of these colleges are getting a chance to have their own Jordans.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $10,000
- In Game 3 against the Celtics, PJ switched it up – a lot. This isn’t uncommon for the king of kicks.
- “It depends on the game and how I’m feeling, but I’ve worn up to six pairs in a game before, which wasn’t by design,” Tucker told DePaula. “I don’t know why people think I’m just showing off a bunch of shoes. It’s really just superstition, if I’m not playing well. Or, some of these older shoes, they break or the glue cracks. It just depends.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $700
Game 4 // Air Jordan 1 High “Legends of the Summer” + OG Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low + Air Jordan 10 “Double Nickel” + OG Nike Zoom Kobe III
- PJ is not above rocking GRs, but it’s his unreleased rarities that stand out as straight gas. The Air Jordan 1 High “Legends of the Summer” was one of many limited tour shoes made for Justin Timberlake and Jay Z made back in 2014.
- “I love 1s, and it’s probably the Jordan that I wear the most,” Tucker told DePaula. “Every day, casual and all the time. All of the different colorways, there’s just so many of them.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $12,000
- The Nike Kobe 9 Elite Low is a master class on performance technology. Making the most of Flyknit, carbon fiber, and Lunarlon comfort, the shoe speaks volumes to the impact Bryant made in both basketball and footwear.
- “He’s been my favorite player,” Tucker once told Luis Torres. “The hardest player I’ve ever guarded. He means more to me than I could ever put into words. For me, between him and his shoes, he means a lot to me. I have to wear all his shoes now. Even the pairs that I said I wouldn’t wear. I have to.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $700
- Ask Knicks fans about the Air Jordan 10 and they’ll remember them. Worn by MJ when he came back and dropped 55 in MSG, the “Double Nickel” retro release hits a nerve for basketball lovers that grew up in the ’90s.
- “I love bringing [old] shoes back to the court,” Tucker told me in 2019. “Even when my mom and people that are older are like, ‘Oh I had those!’ I love that and I love bringing old stuff back.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $400
- When the Nike Kobe 3 released in 2007, only the hardcore hoop fans appreciated Eric Avar’s off-kilter approach to design. Since his passing, Bryant’s game, persona, and pairs have all come to be regarded even more fondly in the eyes of all — even those down since Day 1.
- “I’ve been honoring him since the beginning,” Tucker told Torres after Bryant’s passing. “Since he was living. Since we were playing against each other. To me and my generation, he’s the greatest.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,400
Game 5 // Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Blue Camo” PE + Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Prada Floral” PE + Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Cheetah” PE +
- When warming up for Game 5, PJ pulled into his bag for one of his first Protro PEs – a “Blue Camo” Kobe 4 from his days in Houston. Despite his generosity, Tucker told DePaula that Kobe 4s are rarely gifted to friends, family, or fans because he loves playing in them so much.
- “I give out pairs, bro, but that pair? It’s hard to give out 4s — even after I wore ‘em a little bit. It’s hard to give up a pair of 4s.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,600
- PJ’s range of Kobe 6 Protro PEs sees inspiration from Kanye West to his time playing bro ball in Ukraine. This particular pair is even more niche in regard to homage, paying tribute to one of his favorite floral print Prada shirts. This in some ways is a tie back to his acclaimed arrival style.
- “It’s so funny, because social media has made this stuff so big,” PJ once told DePaula in regard to tunnel outfits. “People get into it, with the dress code rules now. It makes it fun for the players and it just gives another angle to the game. It’s something that’s going to keep getting bigger.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,800
- The last pair in Tucker’s “Yeezy” PE Pack? The “Purple Cheetah” colorway inspired by an unreleased Yeezy 2 – that yes, Tucker has. This Kobe System style references the “Cheetah” Kobe 7 that Bryant broke out on Christmas Day 2011, just months before the Yeezy 2 released at retail.
- “People love the Purple Cheetah,” PJ told NDP. “That is hands down the number one. Everybody, as soon as they see those or see me, they talk about those. All the time. Those will forever be in the rotation.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $2,000
Game 6 // Nike Air Force 1 iD “SagerStrong” + Nike Kobe 1 Protro “Blackout” + Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Prada Floral” PE
- In 2016, Nike teamed up with TNT and Bleacher Report to create 100 pairs of Air Force 1s inspired by the late, great Craig Sager. Paying homage to his infamous suits, each Bespoke shoe was auctioned for charity with a portion of proceeds going to the SagerStrong Foundation.
- “That’s probably my favorite Air Force 1 ever,” Tucker relayed to GQ. “The design is so crazy and it’s such a great cause.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $20,000
- The OG Nike Kobe 1 “Blackout” was the last sneaker Bryant wore while lacing up as #8. Famously, his first Swoosh signature outfitted him in an epic playoff battle against the Phoenix Suns.
- “When you think about the reasons you do the things you do? For me, he’s part of the reason I am who I am as a basketball player,” Tucker told Footwear News about Kobe shortly after his passing. “Seeing him evolve into the next part of his life? It’s still hard to put into words. I don’t know what other profession you get to become friends with your idol.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $500
- For those keeping track at home, it was the 2019 NBA Playoffs when Tucker famously broke out his floral Prada outfit with bright red pants and CLOT x Nike Air Max 1s. In recent, years Tucker has been a regular at presentations from Paris to New York.
- “I love going to shows and seeing everyone’s new collection,” Tucker told GQ when speaking on attending Fashion Week. “You get to meet some amazing people.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,800
Game 7 // Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Red October” PE + Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE
- PJ Tucker’s Yeezy Protro PE pack wouldn’t be complete without an homage to the infamous “Red October” Nike Air Yeezy 2. During his days in Phoenix, PJ actually played in the holy grail quick strike from Kanye and the Swoosh.
- “The Yeezy 2s are actually pretty good basketball shoes,” PJ admitted on Sneaker Shopping. “They’re really comfortable and they’ve got good grip.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $2,000
- To end the playoffs, PJ went back to his periwinkle Protro PE. Having signed a two-year deal with the Miami Heat, he’ll be back in South Beach with even more rare wears next season.
- “With playing basketball and sneakers? There’s no line,” Tucker told Joe La Puma in 2018. “If I have them, I’ll play in them.”
- Going rate in PJ’s size range: ~ $1,700
Keep it locked to Boardroom for updates on all things related to PJ Tucker shoes. While the Miami Heat won’t advance to the NBA Finals, there’s still 17 pairs of South Beach-specific sneakers he’s still yet to break out.
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