Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reveals His Signature Converse: The SHAI 001

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best-dressed ballers on the planet right now, and after inking a signature shoe deal and scoring a creative director role with Converse, he’s been working hard to bring the same steeze to the court. Now, having released a few lifestyle colabs with the label, SGA has revealed his first signature sneaker, the SHAI 001.

Basketball has been in Converse’s DNA since the brand’s conception, but the SHAI 001 is designed to be the shoe that’ll cement it in the brand’s future. Visually unorthodox, the shoe has been crafted with multiple styling options in mind, with Shai wanting the shoe to be worn on and off the court. ‘The design of the shoe is very distinctive,’ SGA explained in a Converse press event earlier this week. ‘You can see the shoe in its shape. And because it’s in your face I wanted to make sure the colours were subtle and blending and that the shoe did the work for you.’

While Converse are yet to share exact performance specs, they have shared a closer look at the shoe and its design details. The SHAI 001 features a puffed-up moulded upper for added comfort and a snug fit and a zip shroud complete with a locking mechanism that allows for multiple styling options. This works in tandem with an inner bootie and a ghillie lacing system to add support, containment and adjustability. ‘The most distinctive parts of the shoe are probably the zip and the puff, the wing,’ Shai explained during the press event. 'I wanted to make these parts of the shoe identifiable, so no matter how far away you were in the arena you could see it’s the SHAI 001.’

Underfoot, Shai and Converse have gone all-in on performance. A radial traction pattern offers optimal cutting ability for explosive moments, while a Nike Zoom Air bag sits neatly in the forefoot for a springy feel and better court connectivity.

Looking forward to the SHAI 001’s release, SGA said: ‘I poured my heart and soul into the SHAI 001, and I’m proud to share it with the world,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘From performance to design, every aspect of this shoe reflects my passion for the game and my commitment to pushing the boundaries. We made the SHAI 001 a versatile shoe for everyone – from the athlete who’s in the gym three times a day to the kids who just want to express themselves on or off the court.’

Jared Carver, CEO and president of Converse continued: ‘We gave Shai creative control over the design of the shoe in a way only Converse can. Then, we went to work leveraging the resources of Converse and all the innovation of Nike to proudly deliver the SHAI 001. Converse invented the first basketball shoe, and we have been there for so many of the sport’s beloved moments over the last hundred years. We are confident the SHAI 001 will help inspire and inform the next wave of basketball footwear, and return Converse to its rightful place at the heart of the game.’

SGA will debut the SHAI 001 in its ‘Butter’ colourway at All-Star Weekend. The shoe will then launch via a global release towards the end of the year. Stay locked to Sneaker Freaker as more info comes in.