Sneaker News Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Nike era is beginning to feel official. Roughly two months after Nike announced that the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar would move from Converse to the Swoosh, Gilgeous-Alexander made a visit to Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton where his new home made sure to roll out the welcome mat.
Nike celebrated its newest signature star throughout campus, including a new athlete banner, joining the historic athletes who have represented the Swoosh in the past. The “Just Two It” messaging is an obvious play on Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” slogan and the upcoming second chapter of Shai’s signature footwear line.
Gilgeous-Alexander officially joined Nike Basketball earlier this summer after six years with Converse, where he grew from rising NBA star into MVP, champion, creative director, and signature athlete. His SHAI 001 established the design language for his footwear franchise, but its successor will represent something different: the first Shai signature shoe released under the Nike banner.
Nike is already building infrastructure around its new star, with recent job listings specifically dedicated to the global SGA business across merchandising, product, and brand strategy. One Nike listing notably places the Shai and Kobe portfolios under the same Global Merchandising Director; based on images, the event was also hosted by Dan Sunwoo VP/GM of Kobe Brand.
For now, details surrounding the Shai 002 remain limited. But if “Just Two It” is any indication, Nike is already preparing to make Gilgeous-Alexander’s second signature shoe, and his first chapter with the Swoosh, a major priority.
However, don’t forget there are still some Converse SHAI 001 releases ahead of us on the calender, such as the SHAI 001 Lace “Cheetah” dropping on September 3rd.
