Not much is known about Paul George, the Indiana Pacers All-Star forward who is currently leading the surging Indiana Pacers up the Eastern Conference ranks. PG is the type of player that keeps his head down and hoops for business and pleasure, keeping the details of his personal life to himself. But with his upcoming signature shoe, the Nike PG1, Nike and designer Tony Hardman have gone to great and creative lengths to open him up a bit, revealing tidbits of his life and family through basketball footwear.
Check out some of the 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Nike PG 1 and catch the full feature on Nike News. Get ready for this colorway of the Nike PG 1 to hit retail on March 4th; the “Shining” colorway will hit stores this Saturday, February 25th.
1. Paul George’s favorite shoe to play in was the low-cut Nike Zoom Crusader, which was also designed by Tony Hardman.
2. The PG1 forefoot strap came directly from George, who showed Hardman a sketch of his dream shoe during one of their initial meetings.
3. Elements of George’s favored casual shoe, the Nike SB Janoski, inspired materials and construction subtlities of the PG1.
4. The shoe’s traction pattern, which resembles fish scales, reflects George’s love for fishing — a pastime he shares with his father, Paul George Sr.
5. The medial side of the left shoe is inscribed with “5-1-15,” honoring the first birthday of George’s daughter, Olivia, on his first shoe. His birthday, “5-2-90,” appears on the medial left side. The right heel tab features a stripe — a reminder of the titanium rod used to repair George’s devastating right-leg fracture.