Paul George’s budget-but-killer shoe lineup is back! Yeah, I know it’s 2020 now and the PG 4 is out but I just wanted to talk about this one first, so we have a solid comparison for ourselves.
So, I’m bringing you my comprehensive PG 3 review – I’ll talk about the shoe’s overall comfort & fit, performance on the court, all-around build quality, and versatility.
SPEC SHEET
Tested Model: Nike PG 3 (Team)
Build: Low-Top
Weight: 13.5 oz / 382 g. (Size 10)
Retail Price: $110
Cushion: Phylon midsole, Zoom Air heel unit
Buy the PG 3 here:
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I. COMFORT & FIT
Now, to make sure my experience with this is accurate – I must point out that I have really wide feet, which is likely why I didn’t like the shoe’s fit too much at the start.
It took me about 7-8 days to really break them in, which is when I started feeling that the shoe finally molded to my foot. And even then – I wouldn’t put these among the most comfortable kicks I’ve played in.
No worries though, there’s nothing really bad about the fit – it’s just a bit tighter than I would like I guess. Performance on the court didn’t really degrade because of this as it wasn’t a big enough of a distraction for me.
The foot was contained well, the soft Ortholite insole inside is a nice bonus as well.
If you’re a wide footer like me, I would surely suggest going up half a size – I’ve seen people reporting that they had a fairly long break-in process even for regular feet, so expect that nonetheless.
Regular footers though – I’d recommend going true to size.
Overall, the fit is secure, contained, and does not bring up any issues but it’s not the most “free feeling” or softest fit in the world, and you should be prepared for a bit of a break-in process.
If you’re good with the above, then I think you’ll have a good time with these.
II. TRACTION
Zero problems with the traction for me personally – I’ve seen some testers and players report that they were sliding all over the place, or at least the outsole needed to break in for optimal grip.
Neither was the case for me – I’ve had a fantastic experience with the PG 3 in terms of court traction both on a wood court inside and on a synthetic rubber court outside.
I’m not a huge wiping person – but these didn’t really require that, so that’s great. No slipping, sliding out, or confidence issues while griping the court with these.
Job well done in my book! The reason we’re seeing this inconsistency is because of the different colorways – so for the currently available Team colorways, I can say no traction issues are present.
As for outdoor play – pretty much all the editions come with the translucent rubber outsole. I can see the rubber isn’t the hardest and I can already see some wear and tear.
I wouldn’t recommend these for heavy-duty outdoor play. Just a few games here and there will be fine though.
III. CUSHION
If you’ve had experience with the previous PG models – the cushion setup is the same on the third as well.
We got a pretty hard Phylon midsole throughout the shoe, paired with a very nice Zoom forefoot unit. A nice bonus is the ultra-soft Ortholite insole – always a nice addition for extra comfort and softness for your foot.
Nothing revolutionary in terms of the cushion setup here – but once again, it works really well, and I can confidently say this is a versatile shoe.
The Phylon midsole needed some time to really pop and provide the needed impact protection, while the forefoot unit is actually softer and more bouncy than most of the mainstream shoe’s setups.
That’s a rare sight and something I loved – I personally need a well-cushioned forefoot for my play style and I feel like these accommodated it really nicely.
I would have liked a bit more heel and midfoot bounciness though, but that’s just a personal preference, as I typically play as an aggressive guard, with lots of drives, jumps, and cuts.
Overall, I appreciate this setup – it does not try to be something magical but it can effectively accompany just about any player in terms of impact absorption, stability, and bounciness.
IV. SUPPORT
We’ve got most of the standard features implemented to ensure solid support on the PG 3 – a heel counter for heel containment, lockdown wings, a tight & secure fit, and your foot sits under the midsole which is always a nice touch to preserve stability on movements.
I’d like to point out that for my wide foot – I would have liked the shoe’s base to be a bit wider to accompany the cuts and distribute the weight better, which would’ve helped with the support even more.
Still though, I like this build – didn’t experience any major issues.
For a very aggressive, athletically-orientated player, I wouldn’t recommend these in a top 3, as they’re catered towards freedom and mobility a bit more, as well as trying to keep things as versatile as possible.
Just pointing it out there!
V. BUILD & MATERIALS
The Team models come with a mesh upper infused with a rigid synthetic layer for additional containment and durability.
I definitely see this shoe as a durable choice, no matter what you throw at it, though I’d have to admit the materials are far from premium in terms of the actual feel.
I don’t have any complaints about that as they go for $110 at retail. If you’re looking for a super premium Air Jordan-like or Primeknit/woven type of upper – you can skip these.
However, if you’re looking for a solid, durable and trustworthy budget model – these do the job well.
These will last long thanks to the infused synthetic and the overall quality build, just don’t expect a revolutionary setup that catches your eye.
VI. OVERALL
The Nike PG 3 is a cool little shoe – I surely recommend it for just about any 1-3 position player not looking to break the bank and achieve solid performance overall.
They’re not the softest or most comfortable in the world but definitely get the job done with no glaring issues.
Traction’s fine, the cushion setup is really nice without putting up a huge price tag, and the overall build is supportive for someone who’s not looking to wear LeBron-like tanks on their feet.
I would say this is a worthy addition to a player’s rotation, and without spending too much.
The exact scores of the shoe are below!
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TIME TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!
That’s it for the PG 3 review – hope you found it useful!
The PG 4 is out! Check out its review and how it stacks up to its predecessor here!
If you’re looking for some great alternatives, perhaps more cushion or a superior fit, I’d highly recommend checking out the Adidas Dame 5 and the Nike KD 12!
Do you have any questions regarding the shoe? Perhaps you’d like to share your own experience with ’em or you’d just like to have a chat?
Leave a comment down below and I will get back to you as quickly as I can!
Thank you for such a good and detailed review.
I was looking for shoe for my dance practice that is strong.
I nearly took this without nothing it does not support aggresive athletes like me
Always a pleasure! If you’re looking for something with more prominent support, I’d say take the Dame 5 instead!