When working out the details for his third signature shoe, the Nike PG3, Paul George emphasized three core principles to designer Tony Hardman: shed what is unnecessary, make every step matter and remember where I came from.
Shedding the unnecessary ties to George's primary ask—to make the shoe lighter than its predecessor. To achieve this, Hardman went with a strategy of stripping away the excess and only retaining features that enhance George's game. They scaled back on the extra TPU, integrated the tongue into the collar, employed a softer, lighter foam in the midsole and utilized mesh in the upper, shedding nearly an ounce off the PG 2.5 as a result.
Next, George and Hardman wanted to ensure that the support is better than ever, with George confirming that he's more mobile than he's ever been as a player. To keep George locked in, the free-floating synthetic "wings" from the PG2 have been carried over, and an all-new circular traction pattern inspired by moon craters provides stop on a dime grip that enables George to make sharp cuts.
As always, George wanted to make sure the sneaker represented who he is and where he comes from. Where he comes from is Palmdale, California, home of the NASA research center. A bit of a space buff himself, George's favorite personal quote, "Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon," adorns the heel. Beyond the more obvious NASA-inspired details, there are a few personal nods. Within the "craters" of the traction pattern are numbers representing elements of George's life such as his birthday, the different numbers he’s worn during his career and his number of tattoos.
The limited edition "NASA" PG3 and accompanying collection will release on Saturday, Jan. 26.
Nike PG 3 “NASA”
Release Date: 01/26/19
Color: Total Orange/Black-Metallic Silver
Style #: CI2666-800
Price: $120
