Gary Payton Nike Sneaker Guide
The Nike signature sneaker line for Gary Payton has a short but meaningful history. Learn GP 1-4 below.
GP I
The Nike Zoom GP was made for the game of Gary Payton. It was designed for perfor-mance and responsiveness. To meet the needs of the offensive and defensive minded point guard.
The shoe was revolutionary in 1999. It did not rely on shoelaces with its asymmetrical cover and buckle system. It offered a unique closure system. The Nike Zoom GP has Zoom Air cushioning in the midsole.
The Nike Zoom GP is a 1990s basketball icon.
GP II
The II continued to push sneaker technology forward. It has a lightweight synthetic leather upper. The collar utilized PU foam, for a snug and comfortable fit around the an-kle.
There are Zoom Air units in both the forefront and heel. It allows for impact protection when you are making a quick move on the court. That design was perfect for the game of Gary Payton.
It is a sleeker basketball shoe, which was something Nike was pivoting to in 2000, which is when the sneaker released.
GP III
The idea of the design was a shoe within a shoe. It takes everything from the previous two models of the GP and pushes it into the future for the III.
A removeable outer shell was wrapped around an inner sneaker. There was customiza-ble support with that addition, and the shoe featured synthetic and textile materials. There was a zipper and Velcro closure system.
The shoe put priority on comfort, the inner shoe is what supplied this. The GP III was pushing sneakers forward and may have suffered from fans not being quite ready for that in 2001 when it launched.
GP IV
The GP III took a lot of risks and really tried to push the envelope when it came to sneaker design and tech. The IV got back to basics and the result was something closer to the GP I & II.
There was no removeable outer shell. No zipper or boot system. It was a much cleaner and simpler silhouette that focused on the basics.
Stability was at the forefront. The upper used a synthetic lightweight leather and a mesh blend. There were Zoom Air units and traditional lacing.
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