Nike Terminator Low 'Black Croc': Georgetown Roots, Croc Texture

The Nike Terminator Low PRM 'Black Croc' is a low-top take on the basketball shoe Nike first built for Georgetown in 1985. This version brings an off-white leather base with black reptile-textured overlays and the giant heel lettering that set it apart from its 1985 sibling, the Dunk.

The Nike Terminator Low PRM 'Black Croc' (2023) sits alongside the wider Nike range at PUSHAS. Here is the story of the shoe, what Nike changed for this pair, and how to wear it.

A shoe built for the Hoyas

The Terminator's story starts in Washington, D.C. Georgetown won the national championship in 1984, and coach John Thompson had close ties to Nike. The following year the Hoyas got a shoe of their own. Georgetown players wore the Terminator at the 1985 NCAA men's basketball tournament in the school's grey and navy, before a general release.

The detail people still talk about sits at the back. The general-release version carried NIKE in oversized letters across the heel. The shoes made for the players swapped that for HOYAS. That giant heel branding is the Terminator's signature.

The Terminator and the Dunk

The Terminator and the Dunk arrived in the same year, and the two are fairly similar at first look. Both are 1985 college basketball shoes, and both were made to carry team colours. Georgetown never took the Dunk, though. It got the Terminator instead, with branding of its own.

That shared birth year is part of the appeal: the Terminator reads as a sibling to a shoe almost everyone knows, with a heel that sets it apart. If the Dunk is the shoe you already know well, our guide to the top Nike Dunk Low colourways is a useful companion piece.

The 2022 return

After eight years away, the Terminator came back in 2022. Nike opened with the colourway that started it all: the Terminator High 'Georgetown' in Granite, Dark Obsidian and Sail, released in November 2022 with NIKE on the heel. From there the line grew to include low-tops and premium materials, including reptile-textured leathers. The 'Black Croc' is one of those premium low-tops.

Croc texture and premium leather

The pair is the Terminator Low PRM in the official colourway Phantom/Black-Coconut Milk-Desert Ochre. The base of the upper is Coconut Milk (off-white), while the overlays are black leather pressed with a faux reptile-scale texture, the croc that gives the shoe its name. A cream midsole gives the whole shoe a gently aged look.

The blocking is simple, almost strict: off-white and black, with the texture doing the work that a loud colour would usually do. The low cut keeps the heel lettering in view without the bulk of the high-top.

How it wears and how to style it

The Terminator Low is a leather basketball low from the 1980s mould. Sizing reports for this exact pair are limited, so start with your usual Nike size and check it against the size guide before you choose.

For styling, the black and off-white palette is a simple starting point. Try it with straight-leg black denim and a grey sweatshirt for a nod to the Georgetown roots, or with cream chinos and a black knit to pick up the midsole. It also works with a loose black suit trouser and a white tee, where the croc texture adds interest without colour. Keep the hems short or cuffed so the heel lettering stays on show.

Who it is built for

If you want	Built for	Wear it with
Basketball history with a premium finish	Collectors of 1985 Nike basketball	Straight-leg black denim and a grey sweatshirt
A black-and-off-white low with texture	Everyday wear that needs a little edge	Cream chinos and a black knit
Something you know from the Dunk, in a different shape	Dunk fans who want a new shape	Black tailored trousers and a white tee

Live now at PUSHAS

Stock as of 8 October 2026. 17 sizes are buyable now, from US M 4 to US M 13.

Every pair is authenticated by hand, so you can shop with confidence. The live listing shows the current price. Find your size on the Nike Terminator Low PRM 'Black Croc' (2023) listing.

Not sure of your size? The complete Nike size guide covers US, UK and EU conversions, and the Georgetown high-top is the place to start if you want the colourway that brought the Terminator back.

FAQ

When did the Nike Terminator first come out?

The Terminator debuted in 1985, when Georgetown players wore it at that year's NCAA men's basketball tournament. It returned in 2022 with the Georgetown colourway, its first release in eight years.

Why does the Nike Terminator have NIKE on the heel?

The giant NIKE heel lettering appeared on the general-release version in 1985. The shoes worn by Georgetown players carried HOYAS across the heel instead.

Is the Nike Terminator the same as the Nike Dunk?

No. The two shoes arrived in the same year and look fairly similar, but Georgetown never took the Dunk. The Hoyas got the Terminator instead, with its own heel branding.

What is the Terminator Low 'Black Croc' made of?

It has a leather upper with a faux reptile-scale texture, finished in the colourway Phantom/Black-Coconut Milk-Desert Ochre, with a Coconut Milk (off-white) base, black textured overlays and a cream midsole.

Does the Nike Terminator Low fit true to size?

Sizing reports for this pair are limited, so the best guide is your usual Nike size checked against the PUSHAS Nike size guide.