words and interview // Zac Dubasik
The Philadelphia 76ers are in the middle of yet another rough season, but there have been a few positives. Despite being in the basement of the Eastern Conference, they've seen strong play from rookie Michael Carter-Williams. Their 2010 #2 draft pick, Evan Turner, is having his best season yet.
Those aren't the only bright spots either. Thaddeus Young is also putting up the best numbers of his career, averaging 17.3 points and 6.3 boards per game. Thad is a Sole Watch regular, who's shown an affinity towards the Air Penny line. You may have seen him in shoes like the Air Penny 1, Zoom Rookie, Air Flight One, as well as his go-to for this season, the Penny V. Thad played high school ball in Hardaway's hometown of Memphis, and the two maintain a friendship to this day, even teaming up regularly in the summers on pro-am squads.
We recently had a chance to catch up with Thaddeus Young to talk about his love for the line.
You’ve worn the Penny V a lot this season, in all different colorways. What is it about that shoe?
They’re comfortable! [laughs] Plus, I’m a Penny guy. He sends me some sometimes, and gives me sneakers sometimes. I know him, personally. [laughs]
Were you a fan of his shoes growing up?
Definitely. Foams – I’ve got a whole closet full of Foams. And Penny Vs, 1s, 2s and 3s. I collect shoes, of course, like everybody else in the NBA. I have a whole section in my closet that is dedicated to just all the Pennys.
And you play with Penny in the summer.
Yeah, we’ll get a little team that will go to a different city and play against other teams, just to keep me in motion for the season. It’ll be me, Penny, Lester Hudson and a few other guys. We’ll get together and put a team together and just go play.
What’s it like playing with Penny?
You definitely can see flashes of what he was! He was one of those guys who could pass the ball, he could shoot, he could post up. The only thing I don’t see is the athleticism anymore. But other than that – you look at YouTube clips, and you see him now, and you’re like, “Ok, I see what they were talking about.”
I saw you guys play together in Lake Charles, Louisiana a couple summers ago, when Penny first got the Zoom Rookies.
Yeah, Marc Dolce brought them down to him.
Penny has been out of the League for a while now. What do you think about Nike still making new models based around him?
I think it’s great! It’s definitely a shoe that’s evolved to something big, and a lot of players are wearing them. Me personally, I think I’m kind of like one of the guys the past two seasons that have stuck with them. No matter what color they are, I rock ‘em. It doesn’t really matter to me. I think the shoes are great.
Do you have a favorite colorway of the V?
Next to these [picks up camo colorway from next to his locker], the “Invisibility Cloak” one. And then I had got some customs made by Mache. I got an Iron Man pair, and an Incredible Hulk pair, and a Galaxy pair. I think I’m one of the only ones with the Galaxy pair. Those are my favorite, but most of all is the “Invisibility Cloak.”
