As AfroTech previously told you, the tech startup created by Tony Malveaux, Darren Smith, and Mbiyimoh Ghogomu aims to make sneaker trading more accessible while building a community for people of color.

“You can go to any sneaker consignment shop in the country and even some websites would say ‘buy, sale, trade,’ but there was no avenue to actually trade your shoes,” Smith told AfroTech in an interview previously. “What Tradeblock represents to the sneaker community is access and democratization.”

To advance its efforts, Tradeblock has linked with Penny Hardaway as the first celebrity to become a brand ambassador for the sneaker trading platform, according to a news release shared by Slam Online.

Hardaway’s influence in the world of basketball and sneaker culture is what drew Tradeblock to the four-time NBA All-Star. He has several shoes in partnership with Nike, which include the Nike Air Penny 1 “Orlando,” and the Nike Air Foamposite “Galaxy.”

“We are thrilled to have Penny Hardaway join our community and share his passion for sneakers with our members,” Ghogomu, CEO of Tradeblock, said according to Slam Online. “His legacy in the basketball world and his iconic sneaker designs have had a profound impact on the culture, and we are excited to see what he brings to Tradeblock.”

Among Hardaway’s responsibilities will be to immerse himself in Tradeblock’s community, which will benefit from access to his collection.

 Hardaway will also invest in Tradeblock to further his commitment.

“I invested in Tradeblock because of Mbiyimoh, Darren, and Tony. As a Black-owned company, there was no way I could say no as a big fan of sneakers and understanding what Tradeblock would bring to the community,” Hardaway said in the release.