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Last night Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Paul George debuted his third signature silhouette, the Nike PG3.
Quickly rising through the ranks amongst current signature collections around the NBA, George, with just his third shoe, doubles as a savvy veteran both as a player and signature athlete. The PG3 takes a less is more approach to design similar to George’s game, which only seems to move at the speed George allows it to.
“As I see myself getting older in this league, the question I ask myself is, ‘How can I become a more efficient athlete?’ I need to perform at the elite level I know I’ve reached, but without wasting excess energy,” said George. “At the end of last season, I knew I had to better control my breathing while I play, so I added underwater walks into my offseason training.”
The progression of George’s signature collection offers striking duality with his evolution as a player. From the PG1 to the most recent release of the PG2.5, each shoe has grown its performance, refinement, using only what is required and nothing it doesn’t.
Created by Nike Basketball Footwear Designer Tony Hardman, the Nike PG3 focuses on three primary components – weight, traction, and fit. Although broad, these defining characteristics were parsed out and individually attacked. From the shoe’s substantial weight reduction to its sleek and snug fit, all specifications are meant to compliment the seamlessness of George’s game. Forefoot Zoom and reduced TPU gives Paul the lightweight responsiveness he thrives on.
“Reducing the weight suits his style of play. He’ll set and pop from three off of his forefoot, and he’s doing a lot of cutting and slashing from the balls of his feet, both offensively and defensively,” says Hardman. “That softer midsole foam and the forefoot Zoom Bag help him to generate more speed.”
Debuting in a galaxy-inspired NASA edition that speaks to George ascending to another space in his game, the Nike PG3 will make its retail debut on January 26.
