Nike PG 5
Released 2/2021, Low Top, Paul George,
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Performance Ratings
8.8
EXPERT RATING
6 reviews
8.8
USER RATING
89 ratings
Performance Summary
The PG 5 is a great all-around performer and a nice upgrade over the PG 4.
Pros
Phenomenal traction
Responsive cushioning
Cons
Cheap materials
Best Suitable For: Works best for players that prefer a minimal, lightweight, and responsive shoe no matter what position they play.
Category Performance Ratings
9.5
Traction
Kobe 9-style herringbone pattern with sticky rubber. Top-tier grip on clean courts, excellent bite and low dust pickup.
8.8
Cushion
Full-length Air Strobel with Phylon midsole. Low-profile, firmer ride than PG4 but responsive with strong impact protection.
8.0
Materials
Textile mesh upper with synthetic and occasional leather overlays. Lightweight and flexible but materials feel inexpensive and soften with break-in.
8.3
Support
Wide base with outrigger, padded heel counter and stable footbed. Provides strong lateral stability and reliable containment.
8.3
Fit
True to size with a snug, slightly narrow fit and tighter forefoot. Stretches a bit after break-in for improved comfort.
50%
Outdoor
XDR versions grip well outdoors but overall outsole durability is mixed. Non-XDR soles wear faster despite good initial traction.
small
large
Sizing
Runs true to size for most players. Regular and narrow footers fine; wide footers may want a half size up.
narrow
wide
Width
Best for narrow to regular widths. Forefoot can feel tight, so wide-foot players should size up or try in-store.
Comparison to Similar Shoes:
 Nike PG 5 |  Li-Ning Way of Wade All City 13 |  Li-Ning Way of Wade 11 |  Li-Ning Way of Wade 12 |  Puma All Pro Nitro |  Under Armour Curry Series 7 | Add shoe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Rating | 8.8 | 8.9(0.1) | 8.9(0.1) | 8.9(0.1) | 8.5(0.3) | 8.4(0.4) | |
| User Rating | 8.8 | 9.3(0.5) | 9.5(0.7) | NA | 9.1(0.3) | NA | |
| Best Price | $109.99 | $149 | $225 | $199 $225 | $68.37 $130 | $160 | |
| Type of Cut | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | |
| Weight | 330g - 350g | NA | NA | NA | 380g - 400g | NA |
54 likes
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Expert Reviews of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Rating: 8.8 (ranks #50 of 381)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
4
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.5
February 13, 2021
For $110, the PG 5 has a good amount of tech, really nice cushioning, and performs well in all aspects. There is some room for improvement when it comes to the quality of the materials.
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8.8
February 13, 2021
The PG 5 is a very solid performer. I wish the materials were a bit nicer, but at a $110 price point, I can't complain!
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8.8
February 13, 2021
The PG 5 is a very solid performer. They are lightweight and I never had to worry when I played in them. Overall, there weren't many bad things I could say about these.
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8.6
May 26, 2021
The PG5 is very good in most areas with the only downside being that the cushion didn't really perform well outdoors. They should be very good if you are playing indoors.
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8.6
September 13, 2021
The Nike PG5s cushion and traction are incredible. The materials perform nicely on the court as well. The shoe has just about everything you need from your hoop shoe.
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8.2
May 6, 2021
Overall, the shoe has durable materials, is very supportive, and the cushion provides very nice impact protection. The traction actually grips very hard and is very stable to play in.
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User Reviews of the Nike PG 5:
User Rating: 8.8 (ranks #132 of 381)
10 - Amazing
17
9 - Great
51
8 - Good
15
7 - Average
4
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
1
7.0
December 13, 2021
This shoe was amazing when I first got it. Probably my favorite shoe ever at the beginning. Sadly, the shoes lack of durability started to show. Within a month rips were occurring and even the sole was starting to rip away from the edge of the shoe. This problem caused me to roll my ankle as it got caught on the floor sometimes. The air bubble support did not last super long as I found myself running on little support. Sad to see such a great shoe get ruined by its durability.
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8.6
March 31, 2023
The traction pattern is a close copy of the Kobe 9, which means traction is amazing. The cushioning is a slight step down from the PG 4, but the firmer materials may contribute to the fantastic traction. The full length zoom air weld dots provide a super smooth ride. You do have to lace these down tight for good containment on hard cuts due to a wide forefoot. This can cause some top of foot pain, which could have been solved with a slightly thicker tongue.
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9.2
January 26, 2022
The traction is top tier, very very good on dust, one wipe and good to go.( Break in period 2-3 days)
The cushion is very plush and responsive giving a slight bounce back.(not to mushy like the pg4)
Support, Lockdown, and Fit is awesome, no moving in the footbed lateral containment is elite, no heel slippage either
Shoe in my opinion is best for someone who's very shifty and prioritizes traction and cushion, while also needing good lockdown
True to Size!
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8.7
June 14, 2022
your feet can get tired in this shoe after a while as it’s only air strobe instead of zoom, the traction is good but you HAVE TO WIPE CONSTANTLY or you will slide out big time. the lateral outrigger keeps you stable, however i have rolled my ankle because of if you go over the outrigger, it can hurt. materials, after using them for a very long time, have busted in the big toe / ball if your foot area (common in the pg line, from my experience pg 3)
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8.2
June 13, 2022
Played in these shoes a lot for the past 5 months. Even on dusty courts the traction was great with just a bit a wiping every now and then. Impact protection was pretty good. My feet hurt every now and then but only after playing in them for a while. The only big problem for me was the durability. My shoes almost have a hole in the side and the insole is completely destroyed. Overall though, a great shoe, especially for the price.
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Traction of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Traction Rating: 9.5 (ranks #22 of 381)
User Traction Rating: 9.2 (ranks #100 of 381)
10 - Amazing
39
9 - Great
43
8 - Good
12
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
9.0
February 13, 2021
The outsole reminds me of the Kobe 9 (which had great traction). The traction grips really well and provided me with a nice bite.
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10.0
February 13, 2021
The traction pattern has been reused from the Kobe 9 and it's top-tier!
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10.0
February 13, 2021
This traction pattern is basically the same as the Kobe 9 which had GOAT traction. I only got to try these outdoors, but they were phenomenal. One thing that surprised me is that they don't squeak at all.
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10.0
May 26, 2021
The traction is a copy of the Kobe 9, which is one of the greatest of all time.
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9.0
September 13, 2021
The cushion has never failed us when playing. The bite is sensational with minimal dust pickup.
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9.0
May 6, 2021
After a bit of a break-in period, the traction became really good. It gripped very hard and picked up very little dust.
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Cushion of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Cushion Rating: 8.8 (ranks #130 of 381)
User Cushion Rating: 8.9 (ranks #122 of 381)
10 - Amazing
23
9 - Great
44
8 - Good
23
7 - Average
3
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
2
9.0
February 13, 2021
Just like last year's model, the PG5 has a full-length Air Strobel unit. The cushion feels great and is more responsive compared to the PG 4.
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9.0
February 13, 2021
The PG 5 features a full-length Phylon midsole and an Air Strobel unit. Personally, I liked the setup in the PG 4 a little better because they were softer, but the PG 5s are more responsive.
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9.0
February 13, 2021
The cushion looks pretty similar to the PG 4 but feels very different. The PG 5 cushion is a lot lower to the ground and the PSI felt a lot lower in the Air unit. Impact protection is really good and court feel is nice.
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8.0
May 26, 2021
It doesn't quite feel like last year's model because of the foam used. It feels more firm. It should work indoors but didn't provide much for outdoor play.
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10.0
September 13, 2021
The full-length Air Strobel is a top-tier cushioning setup from Nike, and it doesn't disappoint in the PG5. It's responsive, comfortable, and provides a solid court feel.
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8.0
May 6, 2021
It has a full-length Air Strobel which is very comfy. It provides a good amount of impact protection but lacks some bounciness.
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Materials of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Materials Rating: 8.0 (ranks #249 of 381)
User Materials Rating: 7.7 (ranks #295 of 381)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
18
8 - Good
35
7 - Average
27
6 - Subpar
3
5 - Poor
7
8.0
February 13, 2021
The materials aren't great and don't feel very premium. However, they are lightweight, flexible, require no break-in time, and get the job done performance-wise.
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8.0
February 13, 2021
The Mesh materials look and feel a bit cheap but they get the job done just fine performance-wise.
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7.0
February 13, 2021
The material quality is not great. It seems cheap and reminded me a lot of the PG 2. As you break-in the materials they get pretty soft and feel nice on foot though. For the price, you can't complain.
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8.0
May 26, 2021
The materials feel cheap but in terms of performance, it's way better than last year's model. They got the job done.
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9.0
September 13, 2021
Textile mesh with some leather overlays spread throughout. We love it. It's flexible and lightweight.
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8.0
May 6, 2021
The upper is mainly made of mesh with a touch of synthetic materials throughout. There's no break-in time needed and is very durable.
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Support of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Support Rating: 8.3 (ranks #234 of 381)
User Support Rating: 8.7 (ranks #159 of 381)
10 - Amazing
14
9 - Great
45
8 - Good
30
7 - Average
5
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
9.0
February 13, 2021
The PG 5 provides very good lateral stability. Nothing else was crazy lockdown-wise, but they were solid all around.
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9.0
February 13, 2021
The support is really good. I had no issues with the lateral stability or containment and my foot felt locked down on the footbed.
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9.0
February 13, 2021
The support and lockdown are really good thanks to the wide base and nice outrigger. I had no issues with lateral containment and stability.
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8.0
May 26, 2021
The shoe feels wider than the Kobe 9 and they added an outrigger so you really do feel locked down.
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7.0
September 13, 2021
It has everything you need for support. The only downside is that the laces become slightly loose towards the ankle collar.
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8.0
May 6, 2021
The heel counter and padding provide a very good amount of lockdown in the back of the shoe. The shoe also covers you well on lateral movements.
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Fit of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Fit Rating: 8.3 (ranks #169 of 381)
User Fit Rating: 8.6 (ranks #178 of 381)
10 - Amazing
22
9 - Great
36
8 - Good
26
7 - Average
4
6 - Subpar
3
5 - Poor
4
8.0
February 13, 2021
These ran a little short for me and were a snug fit overall. Overall comfort was good and I didn't have any issues with that.
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8.0
February 13, 2021
The fit is slightly narrow and snug similar to other PG models. They stretched out a little after breaking them in and the overall fit was nice.
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9.0
February 13, 2021
The toe box wasn't as snug as I'd like it to be, but there wasn't a ton of extra material. For the most part the fit was really good for me and these were easy to put on which is always a plus.
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9.0
May 26, 2021
I love the way they fit. They really remind me of the Kobe 5 which had a great fit.
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8.0
September 13, 2021
It has an above-average fit that feels nice.
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8.0
May 6, 2021
They fit pretty nicely if you have a regular or narrow foot, but can get snug in the forefoot area.
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Durability of the Nike PG 5:
User Durability Rating: 7.8 (ranks #283 of 381)
10 - Amazing
12
9 - Great
17
8 - Good
21
7 - Average
10
6 - Subpar
9
5 - Poor
9
Outdoor of the Nike PG 5:
Expert Outdoor Rating: 50.0 (ranks #154 of 381)
User Outdoor Rating: 25.5 (ranks #283 of 381)
Good (100%)
6
Fair (50%)
17
Bad (0%)
30
good
February 13, 2021
These hold up well outdoors.
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no
February 13, 2021
The durability outdoors is terrible.
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no
May 26, 2021
Traction performed very well outdoors, but don't expect it to last long at all.
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good
May 6, 2021
I played in the XDR version of the shoe which is meant to perform better outdoors.
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Width of the Nike PG 5:
very narrow
6
slightly narrow
39
regular
45
slightly wide
3
very wide
1
slightly narrow
February 13, 2021
Wide footers should go a half size up.
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slightly narrow
February 13, 2021
I recommend going up half a size if you have wide feet.
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slightly narrow
February 13, 2021
I'd go up half a size if you have wide feet or like a roomy fit.
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regularly wide
September 13, 2021
They accommodate slightly wide feet with no problems.
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slightly narrow
May 6, 2021
The shoe is kind of narrow around the forefoot area. If you have a wide foot, it'll be better to try them out in-store beforehand.
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Size of the Nike PG 5:
very small
0
slightly small
11
true to size
70
slightly long
9
very long
5
true to size
February 13, 2021
These run true to size.
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true to size
February 13, 2021
True to size should work well.
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true to size
February 13, 2021
True to size fit me very well.
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true to size
May 26, 2021
They do fit true to size.
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true to size
September 13, 2021
True to size for sure.
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true to size
May 6, 2021
The PG5 runs true to size for regular and narrow footers.
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