Digging in the Crates Day Two

Today is the second day of the PONY vintage collection retrospective. Below we take a look at two important basketball shoes which set trends on and off the court. Athletes won NBA championships in them and kids kept them sparkling white. Get ready to learn about the David Thompson Pro-Model and the Court Hi.

David Thompson Pro-Model – After leading North Carolina State to an undefeated season in the NCAA Men’s TRS Basketball Championship in 1974, David Thompson etched his name in the history books. Blessed with the nickname ‘Skywalker’ on account of his towering 44-inch vertical leap, he also perfected the alley-oop pass with the help of teammate Monte Towe. Turning pro for the Denver Nuggets, Thompson then became the highest paid player in the game in 1978. How good was he? Michael Jordan is his biggest fan and inducted him into the Hall of Fame. Now that’s legit. These are his shoes.

Court Hi – With its elegant, upright stance, Pony’s Court Hi epitomises the early basketball sneaker aesthetic. Carved from rugged white canvas and capped with a sturdy rubber toe, this silhouette will be familiar to anyone who pounded hardwood back in the day. Shown here in remarkable vintage condition, the Court Hi remains an authentic survivor of Pony’s glory days.