When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander moved from Converse to Nike, most people expected his first big moment with the Swoosh to be the Nike SHAI 002. Instead, the first two pairs he has shown point somewhere else entirely.
At Oklahoma City Thunder Media Day he wore an unreleased orange Virgil Abloh Archive x Nike Air Force 1 Low. Shortly after, a Nike-branded version of his Converse SHAI 001 appeared on his second Instagram account. Two pairs, two very different stories, and both say a lot about where his footwear is heading.
The Orange Virgil Abloh Archive x Nike Air Force 1 Low
The Virgil Abloh Archive name covers what used to be released as Off-White x Nike, and the Air Force 1 is one of its best-known shapes. Shai's pair follows the design language collectors know from the earlier Air Force 1 releases. What sets it apart is the colour. It is almost entirely bright orange, a direct match for the Thunder uniform he wore on the day.
There is no release information, and it is not clear whether this colourway is meant for retail or was made only for him. Either way, it is an unusual choice for a first appearance. Rather than showing off a signature shoe, one of Nike Basketball's newest names arrived in one of the most collected Air Force 1 lines of the last decade.
That line started with The Ten. The Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 Low 'The Ten' set the template in 2017, style code AO4606-100.
The Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 Low 'Volt' and the Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 Low 'Black' followed in 2018. The Volt pair is the closest relative to Shai's orange version: one loud colour across the whole upper, with the details doing the rest.
In 2019 the Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 Low 'MCA' in University Blue marked Abloh's exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and it is still one of the pairs collectors chase most.
A Nike-Branded SHAI 001
The second pair is arguably the more surprising one. The SHAI 001 was introduced under Converse, yet the pair Shai showed carries bold NIKE lettering across the heel. It is the Lace version rather than the model with the zippered shroud, finished almost entirely in orange with a white interior.
Whether it will ever reach stores is unknown. It looks more like a bridge between two chapters: the shoe he built at Converse, worn into his first season with Nike. With the Nike SHAI 002 expected early next year, this is likely the pair he wears until his new signature shoe is ready.
For collectors, it adds a new layer to the Converse SHAI 001. The Converse SHAI 001 'Clay Court' and the Converse SHAI 001 'Butter' came out in 2025, and colourways such as the Converse SHAI 001 Lace Up 'Lime' followed this year. With his move to Nike, these may turn out to be the only Converse chapter of his signature line.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Off-White Air Force 1 and SHAI 001 on KLEKT
Neither of Shai's new pairs has a confirmed release, so for now they are first looks rather than something to buy. The lines they come from are a different story.
The full range of Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 pairs is on KLEKT, from The Ten to the later Mid releases. The Converse SHAI 001 is there in most of its colourways, which may become more interesting now that the Converse chapter looks closed.
If Media Day is anything to go by, Shai will be worth watching all season, not only for his signature shoes but for the unreleased pairs he chooses to wear.
Check out the Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 and the Converse SHAI 001 on KLEKT.
Images: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander / Instagram, KLEKT
