SGA Has Been Rocking Lace-Up Pairs of the Converse Shai 001

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s debut signature shoe from Converse launched last Fall. The Shai 001 featured monochrome colors and a zippered closure. Now, SGA has been seen rocking more colorful, zipper-less versions of the silhouette. The Shai 001 is Converse’s first signature sneaker for an NBA player in some time. The silhouette, designed for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was […] The post SGA Has Been Rocking Lace-Up Pairs of the Converse Shai 001 appeared first on JustFreshKicks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s debut signature shoe from Converse launched last Fall. The Shai 001 featured monochrome colors and a zippered closure. Now, SGA has been seen rocking more colorful, zipper-less versions of the silhouette.

The Shai 001 is Converse’s first signature sneaker for an NBA player in some time. The silhouette, designed for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, was first shown during the 2025 All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, before the model made its debut on shelves in September. Talking about the design ethos way back in February ’25, SGA stated he wanted to go for a high-fashion look, and the initial styles of the 001 seemed to nail that. All of the releases available today come in simple, monochrome color schemes, down to a color-matched zipper tape on the tongues.

However, SGA has been spotted out and about recently wearing a much bolder take on the Shai 001. The Thunder guard has been photographed wearing two new styles of his signature shoe that remove the zippered shroud covering the lacing system, embracing a more traditional basketball sneaker look. Additionally, the two styles finally introduce some color blocking to the 001, with one pair colored in yellow, green, and blue tones with a cheetah print accent, and the other in shades of pink. Personally, the zipper-less look is a better style for the 001’s shape, and we hope to see Converse release some of these modified pairs to the public soon.

There are currently no known plans for these bolder, zipper-less pairs of the Shai 001 to release soon, though SGA’s increasingly frequent appearances in them point to a public release this year. The pairs we’ve seen him rock so far feature bolder, more colorful palettes, bringing color blocking to the previously monotone look. We will provide more details regarding a public release when they arise.

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