Police arrested a suspect Thursday in connection with the theft of luxury shoes from the home of University of Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway. Ronald James, 42, has been charged with theft of property, Memphis police spokesman Joseph Hibler told ESPN.

According to a Memphis police report obtained by ESPN’s Myron Medcalf, a man was caught on camera on Aug. 8 stealing shoes and pushing boxes into a shopping cart near Hardaway’s $4.25 million home. The cart was filled with multiple packages.

According to Megan Fayard of Memphis TV station WREG, James allegedly stole 26 pairs of shoes. Hardaway previously told WREG that they were “one-of-a-kind” Foamposites plus a “family and friends exclusive.”

Earlier this week, police posted photos of the suspect online and asked anyone who recognized him to contact the department. Hibler did not say whether a tip led to James’ arrest, Medcalf said.

Nike’s Foamposite line was made famous by Hardaway when he played for the Orlando Magic in the ’90s. Hardaway and Nike still have an outrageous partnership, years after the former NBA All-Star last played in the league.

Ronald James will appear in court for the first time on Friday; it is not known whether shoes belonging to Penny Hardaway, the coach of the Memphis basketball team, have been recovered

According to the Memphis Police Department arrest database, James is scheduled to make his first court appearance in connection with the theft at 9 a.m. Friday. His bail has not yet been set, according to Medcalf and the police database. Police have not said whether they have recovered the merchandise.

In the mid-1990s, Penny Hardaway starred in Nike’s “Lil Penny” advertising campaign, playing an alter ego doll of the then-NBA player, who was also voiced by comedian Chris Rock.

On August 8, 2023, Nike released the Nike Air Max Penny 1 Lester Middle School editions in honor of Hardaway’s Memphis Middle School. The sneakers feature black nubuck and ride on a Phylon midsole with visible Max Air cushioning for impact protection while playing hoops.

Additionally, Hardaway played 14 NBA seasons for the Magic (1993–99), Phoenix Suns (1999–04), New York Knicks (2004–06) and Miami Heat (2007–08 season), averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

Hardaway now coaches Memphis, where he was a first-team All-American until 1993, before leaving for the NBA. Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) retired the number 25 jersey in 1994. He has been the Tigers’ coach since 2018.