Allan Houston may have already found the right sneakers for the New York Knicks’ championship parade through Manhattan on June 18th.
The former Knicks guard recently dug into his archives to showcase several rare Nike Player Exclusives. Highlights from the collection included Knicks-themed editions of the Nike Air Vis Zoom Uptempo, Air Flightposite One, Air Flightposite III, Shox Limitless, and Air Zoom Huarache 2K4.
Nike made each pair custom for Houston during his time in the league. These colorways never hit shelves, making them unique sneakers that capture both his time with New York and a significant era for Nike Basketball.
Houston played nine seasons with the Knicks before transitioning into the front office, where he currently works as Vice President of Player Leadership and Development. Though it’s unlikely he’ll pass up the chance to take part in the team’s first parade celebration, he has yet to speak on what he’ll wear down Broadway.
Showing out in one of the vintage PEs would make for one seamless connection to past Knicks eras. We have to remember that these shoes are well over 20-years-old at this point, however. Age is the enemy of any sneaker collector and wearing pairs from that far back can often lead to damage.
Foam loves to crumble, midsoles can tear away from outsoles, and older sneakers often just crack at the worst times. Houston may not risk some of his rarest sneakers for the parade because of that chance.
It would be amazing to see him sport one briefly (imagine the buzz along the Canyon of Heroes!), but keeping the originals pristine is likely a higher priority than bringing them back for everyday wear.
Whether Houston wears one of the Nike PEs or simply keeps them on display, the archive offers a rare look at his Knicks footwear history ahead of the June 18th parade.
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