Lot 129
The classic durable canvas material make these shoes a must-have for any vintage shoe collector. These are an iconic shoe in Hip Hop Streetwear. Hip hop pioneers Kool Herc & Frosty Freeze rocked these shoes elevating their street style. Born in 1949, PRO-Keds pioneered the performance basketball shoe. The choice of champions, the brand has graced some of the National Basketball Associations most gifted feet. All-stars like Nate Archibald, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Pete Maravich all cut the court in PRO-Keds, with their flair and finesse rubbing off on hip hops founding fathers. A certifiable old-school standard, PRO-Keds have been crowned by NY sneaker historian Bobbito Garcia as the first classic sneaker of New Yorkers on and off the court. Stylish and sleekly refined, they symbolize a simpler age when authenticity was all that mattered. The Royal was worn and endorsed by the great George Mikan, basketballs first big man. Amazingly, prior to Mikan, basketball was considered a game for small, nimble, balding men named Norm or Chet. Monster guys just werent considered athletic enough to hold court. The 6ft 10in Mikan smashed this stereotype, averaging more than 22 points over his nine-year career and leading the Minneapolis Lakers to five titles in six seasons from 1949-54. Dubbed the Babe Ruth of basketball by New York Knicks coach Joe Lapchick, Mikan was the forerunner to power centres like Shaq and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar. It was an endorsement that put PRO-Keds on the map, giving players an even more pivotal role and an increasingly commercial face. PRO-Keds had established itself as the professional basketball shoe of choice, but it wasnt until the 69er model was released that the brand tipped to become a fashion force. Considered the very first must-have sneaker, demand for the 69er in Harlem and The Bronx was so overwhelming that they became known as Uptowns almost two decades before Nikes Air Force 1 would wrest that mantle. Hip hop originator DJ Kool Herc rocked the 69er throughout the 70s, as did hip hops spiritual guardian Afrika Bambaattaa. PRO-Keds had a lock on NY street cred all the way into the 80s, with mercurial MC KRS-One proclaiming PRO-Keds to be the greatest sneaker ever introduced to mankind! Throughout the 70s, PRO-Keds held court with an enviable stable of NBA stars. A 1971 advertisement featuring Lou Hudson, Bob Love, Nate Tiny Archibald, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jo Jo White boldly laid down the law, boasting, We challenge any other shoe. Anytime. Anywhere. Please ask specific questions on details, condition, and shipping prior to bidding, ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS, and the bidder will be responsible for payment. We box and ship what we can to keep costs low, and use USPS and UPS. Large items, extremely fragile, and high value items will be packed by UPS. Quotes available on request
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Dimensions:
- men's size 11-1/2 Condition:
- Very Good New Old Stock
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