Matt Varga It’s hard for any NBA player to have as fortunate a season as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did. While the result of the 2025 NBA Finals will determine its ultimate fate (they enter as hefty -700 series favorites), the Canadian product has already added an MVP trophy, first-team All-NBA honors, and a 65+ win season to his resume. Tack the reveal of his signature shoe, the Converse SHAI 001, onto that gaudy list, and it’s nearly picture perfect.
Though the model won’t hit the public until Fall, he and the brand are already showcasing plenty of what the model has in store, revisiting that cadence with the SHAI 001 “MASI BLUE.” The cooling all-over look continues two defining themes for the MVP’s model to date, first referencing one of his close family members, his younger brother Thomasi.
Said to be inspired by the former University of Evansville hooper’s “cooler than ice” demeanor, this shoe adds to odes towards his wife (“Hail Clay”), mother (“Charm Black”), and son (“Ares Grey.”) Each of those shoes also delivered entirely tonal looks, clearly a defining motif for these early looks and one that adds intrigue to whether we’ll see more experimental or expressive colorways in the silhouette’s later stages.
With this announcement coming just days before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, add the Converse SHAI 001 “MASI BLue” to a register of looks that could make on-court appearances in Oklahoma City. Aligning with the squad’s home jerseys only makes that seem all the more likely. Expect this shoe to follow after the debut “Butter” pair for the Fall/Holiday shopping seasons.
