Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins Nike signature family

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is moving from Converse to Nike.

On June 17, 2026, Nike officially welcomed the Oklahoma City Thunder star to its Nike Basketball signature family, marking another major shift in the NBA sneaker landscape.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Nike Basketball signature family,” Nike said in a statement.

“Coming after back-to-back MVP seasons, we are excited to build on Shai’s incredible impact with Converse as one of the most creative leaders in the game.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off consecutive NBA MVP awards after being named the league’s Most Valuable Player for the second straight season in May.

He also led Oklahoma City to the 2025 NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP.

Converse, which Nike acquired in 2003, continues to operate under the Nike corporate umbrella.

Gilgeous-Alexander joined Converse in 2020, with the brand giving him room to incorporate his personal style into his signature series.

He and Converse released the SHAI 001 in February 2025, with Nike describing the shoe as a performance basketball model co-created with Gilgeous-Alexander.

The SHAI 001 was introduced in several colorways, including Winter Red, Masi Blue, Hail Clay, and Charm Black.

The partnership with Converse has now shifted, with Gilgeous-Alexander joining Nike as a signature athlete.

Gilgeous-Alexander also teased fans with a possible Nike logo in an Instagram post featuring an embossed orange letter “S.”

Before Gilgeous-Alexander’s move, Stephen Curry made his own major sneaker switch by signing with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning.

Curry signed a 10-year endorsement deal with Li-Ning after ending his long partnership with Under Armour in November 2025.

The deal was announced June 2, 2026, after Curry posted a promotional video on his official Facebook page with the caption, “The partnership of a lifetime.”