Ep 7. P.J. Tucker Goes Sneaker Shopping with Complex
- March 5, 2018
- 25 min
P.J. Tucker, the Houston Rockets forward, joins Complex's Joe La Puma for an episode of Sneaker Shopping, where the off-court sneakerhead talks about his love for Jordans, his sneaker collection, and how he chooses his game-day kicks.
The episode begins with Tucker and La Puma at Flight Club in Los Angeles, where they start browsing the shelves and discussing Tucker's appreciation for limited-edition sneakers. He shares that he first fell in love with Jordans when he saw Michael Jordan wearing them as a kid, and now he has over 5,000 pairs of sneakers.
As they walk around the store, Tucker highlights some of his favorite sneakers, including the Nike Air MAGs from Back to the Future, the Nike MAG Hyper Adapt 1.0, and the Air Jordan 11 "Space Jam." He also touches on how his sneaker game evolved over the years, from buying sneakers at Foot Locker to now being sent exclusive pairs by brands.
La Puma asks Tucker about his approach to picking his game-day sneakers and the Rockets player reveals that he selects his kicks based on how he's feeling that day, as well as the color of the team's uniform. He also tells La Puma about his process of customizing his sneakers, which includes adding his initials and a number to the tongue.
Tucker and La Puma continue to shop as the Rockets player talks about how sneakers influence his style and how he's not afraid to mix and match high-end fashion with streetwear and sneakers. He also talks about the importance of sneakers in the NBA, sharing that it's a way for players to express themselves off the court.
Towards the end of the episode, Tucker reveals his favorite sneaker of all time - the Air Jordan 11 - and shares some stories behind some of his most coveted kicks. He also talks about his upcoming sneaker collaboration with Puma, the P.J. Tucker x Puma Clyde All-Pro.
The episode concludes with Tucker picking out a few pairs of sneakers to purchase, including the Air Jordan 1 "Union" and the Nike Air Foamposite One "Galaxy." As they check out, Tucker reflects on his love for sneakers and how it's a lifelong passion that he hopes to pass down to his kids.
Overall, P.J. Tucker's episode of Sneaker Shopping is an in-depth look at the NBA player's sneaker collection, style, and love for all things Jordans. La Puma does a great job of digging deeper into Tucker's sneaker game and the stories behind some of his most coveted kicks.
