Winning Time, was going to be named “Showtime” as a reference to the 80s Lakers teams that dominated the decade behind the charismatic Magic Johnson. HBO Max didn’t think it would be smart to name the show after a competing streaming channel’s name, so Winning Time it is. I’ve been watching the show and there are several instances where sneakers have showed up in interesting moments. One brand in particular may have gotten an unofficial bump that provides an opportunity for a collab or cross-promotion.
Pro-Keds, owned by Wolverine, hasn’t really attempted to do anything interesting in sneakers. They’ve remained tied into the basic canvas, Chuck Taylor look and that’s about it. In an early episode of the show, a young Magic Johnson who has just finished his championship season with Michigan State is seen prominently wearing a Pro-Keds shirt. In this instance, the profile of Pro-Keds was elevated, but there isn’t any banter or promo taking place to take advantage of the moment.
Sneaker culture wasn’t a thing in 1979. Hip-Hop was beginning to gain momentum and of course Puma and adidas dominated basketball. Nike was paying coaches and players to wear their new shoes, but athletes were doing ‘spatting’, taking Nike’s money and then painting a Swoosh onto other brands’ footwear. While Magic Johnson is known for his time with Converse with The Weapon basketball sneaker, and the fact that he isn’t excited about this fictionalized look at the rise of the LA Lakers, this moment on the show offers a unique chance to capture the imagination of a market enamored with retro footwear. Right now the Nike Blazer is an incredibly popular model. The Pro-Ked Two Stripe in leather could make a return in a classic color tied to the show Winning Time. That would be a cool sneaker moment.
Imagine this sneaker in the colors shown on Magic’s shirt in Winning Time? Elevate the two stripes with blue suede with a navy suede heel tab. Go with a premium suede toe and tumbled leather around the heel. Deliver a limited drop with gold lettering… that might be a sneaker moment for Pro-Keds. I’m going to continue watching the show, which is pretty good, and highlighting these moments in each episode. The opening scene at 1:21 of the opening video does deliver a great opportunity to freeze frame the sneakers from the beginning of basketball sneaker culture. Throughout the opening sequence there are references to every aspect of the importance of sneakers in sports. There is a skater mooning the viewer, B-Boys breaking and throughout the credits historical moments are referenced. Check it out below: