An NBA player getting their own signature line of shoes or sneakers is one of the many milestones on the path to superstar status—which means Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is well on his way. The 2024-25 MVP is the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder and could very well be headed toward a championship. Things are lining up just right for the 26-year-old.
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Later this fall, Converse will drop the SHAI 001 in a slick “Butter” colorway, SGA’s first official sneaker with the popular shoe brand. He had teamed up with Converse back in 2020 after a strong second season in the league, joining a group of players helping to bring the brand’s basketball line back to life.
In 2024, he doubled down on that partnership by signing a multi-year extension and stepping into a new role as Creative Director of Converse Basketball. Now, with the Thunder only two wins away from an NBA Finals appearance—and the release of his signature sneaker—Shai is fulfilling a lifelong dream of following in the footsteps of his idols: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Back in February, SGA interviewed with GQ to promote the release of the SHAI 001.
One question he was asked was when he knew he wanted to have his very own brand. “Pretty early,” he responded. “I wore Kobes all the time. Kobe had his own shoe. Obviously, Jordan. The marquee guys—the guys you watch the game for—they always had signatures. That was part of the package.”
Yet, Gilgeous-Alexander always knew that just wearing the sneakers doesn’t make someone great—that has to come from within. When the now-MVP was asked what it takes for a shoe to reach the same popularity as Kobes, which 50% of current players wear, the potential face of the league had a very prepared answer.
“Performance—that’s the most important thing,” he stated. “And then the player behind it. Kobe is Kobe. People wear Jordans because of Michael Jordan. The player does the work, and if they’re good on the court, the shoe will take care of itself.”
It was a wise statement on what could have easily been just a throwaway answer. Shai understands the business of basketball, and when you’re trying to sell a shoe, it’s important to remind the consumer that while there’s legacy in the sneakers you buy, there’s also legacy in the one you build for yourself.
And he’s in very good company. MJ and Bryant each changed the sneaker game in their own way. Jordan turned basketball shoes into cultural icons with the Air Jordan 1, making sneakers a fashion statement and pioneering the idea of the signature line.
Kobe came along later and flipped the script with low-top, minimalist designs that pushed innovation and broke tradition. Together, they redefined what basketball sneakers could be. It also helps that both are on the NBA’s Mount Rushmore of success.
If Gilgeous-Alexander can finish the story and win a title in 2025, it’ll cap off a tremendously successful year for the young star, one that could very well cement him as one of the league’s all-time greats.
