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George reaches out to Nike after Zion's PG 2.5 shoe broke apart

Tom O'Connor / National Basketball Association / Getty

After witnessing his signature shoe tear apart on Duke freshman Zion Williamson Wednesday night, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Paul George contacted Nike to get answers.

"First, I want to wish him all the best," George said of Williamson on Thursday, according to ESPN's Royce Young. "I don't know the severity of the injury right now. We just wish him all the best through the recovery, if it is something severe. And honestly, I'm just here for him through that time of being hurt.

"But outside of that, I don't necessarily know what happened, how it happened. I talked to Nike to see what went wrong, what happened with the shoe and I take pride in that. My shoes have been a successful shoe not only in college but in the NBA. A lot of people have been in them, a lot of people have been wearing them. So I don't necessarily know, but it's never happened to my knowledge before. So that's tough."

The 18-year-old Blue Devil exited less than a minute into Wednesday's highly anticipated showdown with rival North Carolina after his left foot awkwardly slid, resulting in the sole of his shoe ripping. He was ruled out for the remainder of the contest and has since been listed as day-to-day with a Grade 1 right knee sprain.

Nike released a statement hours after the final buzzer, saying the incident with the shoe was an "isolated occurrence" and the company was looking into it.

"My only concern is for Zion, honestly," George added. "People are making a big deal about the shoe. Everything should've been about Zion, his injury. That was the only thing I was concerned about was how bad it was and hopeful that it wasn't too bad and something he could come back from."

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