A few years ago, Paul George was widely considered the second or third best player in the NBA. A catastrophic knee injury prior to the 2014 World Cup of Basketball put his career on hold for more than a season, but George has continued to re-establish his dominance on both ends of the court since his return.
Now, he’s getting his own signature shoe from Nike, which puts him in elite company. Only 20 other basketball players have been honored with a signature sneaker in Nike’s 44-year history. George is set to unveil the shoe, called the PG1, when the Pacers travel abroad to play the Nuggets in London later this week.
Here’s more from Nike’s official press release:
Blending George’s smooth personality with performance attributes, the PG1 is tailored to PG13’s two-way game. The lightweight, low cut PG1 is a true collaboration between George and designer Tony Hardman. The simple, highly functional silhouette features a distinctive forefoot strap anchored by Flywire cable loops providing a dynamic, contained feel, while a forefoot Zoom Air unit delivers low-profile, responsive cushioning.
At a glance, it’s much cooler than the practical joke C.J. Miles played on us over the weekend. One of its best features is the shoelace clip, which is designed like a bobber, a nice little personalized touch that honors George’s hobby as an avid fisherman.
One of its weirdest features, however, is the insole, which is decorated with a somewhat menacing portrait of George himself:
Still, it’s a pretty awesome moment when a player gets a signature shoe. It’s something every basketball player dreamed of as a kid.
