Paul George was in the process of developing his fourth Nike sneaker, the PG3, when he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2017. The blockbuster change would alter George's career and have ripple effects on his successful signature shoe.
When Nike Basketball footwear designer Tony Hardman, who has overseen the PG line, and George brainstormed what to incorporate into the third signature model, George requested the shoe tie back to his Southern California hometown. Once the trade happened, George added that he wanted to make the shoe lighter to keep up with new teammate Russell Westbrook.