Paul Rodriguez’s emergence in skateboarding coincided with the rise in popularity — and acceptance — of Nike’s once-embattled Skateboarding division. As the first signature athlete under the Nike umbrella, P-Rod was burdened with carrying the Swoosh on his back in a sport that once scoffed at big corporate entries. The attitude toward Nike changed, and Paul’s signature shoe line lasted ten difference signature shoe models through 2017, with each installment arriving in a variety in skateshop-only colorways and collaborative achievements.
In 2015, Nike recognized the importance of P-Rod to the growth of SB with a first-ever Retro of his first signature shoe. Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the silhouette, Nike re-issued the original white/black colorway of the SB P-Rod 1, laying the groundwork for its revitalized appeal just a couple of years later. Travis Scott in particular took a liking to the model, which caused some of its most limited editions such as the J-Rod, the Mexican Blanket, and the Futura collaborations spiking in price in the secondary market.
Sneaker News reports that Nike SB will be honoring the 20th Anniversary of the SB P-ROD 1 in 2025. It’s unclear if this will be a large-scale re-issue or a one-off like what we saw in 2015, but the former seems likely. It’s possible that P-Rod 1 collaborations will be in the works as well.
