PG13 for MVP? It’s gotta be the shoes right?

Thank you PG you made this so easy that I’m just going to make this short and sweet. You’re the Shimano Curado of shoes PG. (only fishing dudes would get that reference).

The PG3 is Really a shoe with zero flaws just like PG13’s game this year. Cushioning from the HDX has carried over to the. PG3 and the fit has improved slightly from the PG2 while keeping that excellent traction.

Pros: traction, cushioning, fit, stability, containment, adaptable fit, just a fun shoe to play in

Cons: needs a little break in to feel fluid, really bland colorblocking thus far (not performance related)

Best for: any, it’s a Hyperdunk X low with PGs name on it and improved traction, which is a good thing

Sizing advice: true to size, wide footers can go up half a size if needed

Buying advice: as great of a price $110 is, collectors and consumers aren’t clamoring for the latest PG (yet). Wait a week or two and you’ll be able to use coupons and eventually price cuts. Fair is $90 or less, low around $50-60 as usual.

Weight

14 ounces about average for a low. Half an ounce lighter than the PG2

Traction

Sticking with the NASA theme, we give you circles.. or moons.. or planets..or orbits. Or basketball rims and basketballs? Oh Nike I can never figure you out you’re so sneaky.

The good news is that circles work and that’s all that matters. Circles don’t have sides but they cover you in all directions which is what matters. Whether you’re playing on clean courts, courts with dirt or moon dust, you’re good in the Pg3. The only area I had any issue with at all was the flat lateral edge which could pick up some dust. I had one really bad slip out on a clean court due to that rim but other than that I can’t think of any major issues. Soft rubber, multi directional coverage and nice depth allows the traction to do its job. Well done Nike!

CushioningNot sure why the forefoot outer midsole (93552 portion) is made of a hard rubber. Foot doesn’t sit deep enough for containment purposes and probably adds a little to break in time.

I think everyone will enjoy this cushioning since Nike put the same foam in the PG3 as they did in the HDX. Nike kept the same big forefoot Zoom as last years so yea it’s freakin great with a slightly softer and bouncier foam carrier.

Same super duper thick Ortholite insole as the PG 1 and 2. Top insole is from the WhyNot 2

If you called this foam Lunarfly X Zoom Max Foam instead of injected Phylon or Cushlon, people would probably think it was the best things for their knees. Very smooth heel to toe cushioning just like PG’s game.

Well done Nike!

Fit

Top eyelet is higher and further back than the 2 for better lockdown

True to size. So simple isn’t it ? These do start out tight so I recommend thinner socks before you jump into your normal premium socks. I wanted to get these off my feet ASAP when I tried them with thicker socks but dropping to thinner socks gave me a little more breathing room until the shoes broke in.

No dead space, no side to side movement, no heel slip right out of the box. This is just a great fitting one to one fit with no need to break in anything. I was messing around at Dick’s (man that sounds wrong) and they had a size 12 out and I could fit it just fine with only a little extra length. The point being, PG1-3 are adaptive and are not one size fits one. UA, three stripes are you listening ?

The Achilles pillows don’t go down as far toward the heel as the PG2 which gave me a little better better heel lockdown than the 2 since fits right into that notch at the Achilles.

Overall, aside from a short break in period, the fit is excellent. Well done Nike!

Materials

If you think softer is better, well stick to the PG2. This upper has a synthetic backing that pops slightly to start but warms up after a few hours. The PG2 did not feature a stiffer backing probably since the mesh was a little thicker overall and is probably where Nike saved half an ounce of weight. Nike has made the materials a little less premium since the PG 1 but hey it works. Do cheaper feeling materials make you play worse or get your more tired ? Nope they just make you feel like you’re playing in more or less expensive shoes. If nicer feeling materials is what you want, you’ll probably love the Why Not 2.

Support and Stability

Like the PG2 the 3 is a high low so support comes from the great fit and the heel counter. No issues here at all

There is a plastic midfoot shank that stiffens up the midsole just enough. No portable rollie pollie action here.

Stability is great as well and is just as wide as the PG2 despite no outrigger.

Zero issues overall with support and stability on the PG 3. Nice job Nike!

Containment

Zero issues. Raised midsole, synthetic forefoot straps. We good Nike.

Conclusion

Well sh*t 2019 is killing it or I’m reallly getting good at picking winners. Zero complaints about anything and it’s considered a budget shoe? PG has been balling out with Russ, Aquaman and the Thunder so I think the causal fan may finally get to to know Playoff P..

Everything you want or need in a low top for a lower than average price of $110 (NASA was $120..gotta pay NASA for the use of their name).but if you wait a few weeks you’ll be able to use your coupons to bring the price down to $90 and eventually scoop more up at the $50-60 price point by end of summer or so. Don’t expect PG prices to stay low if he keeps up this play over the next few years though. Every player is a brand now and with great player performances come incremental price hikes *see Kobe, Lebron, Kyrie, Curry, Dame**

I enjoyed these shoes so much I attempted to NikeID them but the blocking and color choices just didn’t look great to me. Maybe Normcore blandness has worked it’s way into basketball but I needed a little more pop with these BHM’s so I swapped the laces for fun.

Color makes the world fun don’t you think ?

Looks sell but I guess at this price point, nobody cares ? Or Nike assumes nobody cares ? Or they want everyone to make IDs? Oh well

Well done Nike