When he’s not tearing up the court with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is planning his next move. The balancing act of being an NBA player, self-made style icon, and creative director of Converse Basketball isn’t easy—but if anyone can handle it, it’s SGA. The Hamilton, Ontario native already changed the footwear game with the impeccably engineered SHAI 001 Converse shoe.
Each colorway is a tribute to someone important in Shai’s life, reminding us that behind every great baller are the people that give them their ‘why’—so they can focus on giving their all. The first is Charm Black, a nod to the point guard’s mother, Charmaine. Not only is black her favorite color, but it also perfectly embodies the air of calm sophistication the former track star passed down to her son.
Known for his composition and precision on the court, Shai reflects a lifetime of training and carefully nurtured talent that could only come from being the child of athletes. Charmaine represented Antigua and Barbuda as a sprinter at the 1992 Summer Olympics. “My parents always pushed me to try to be the best that I could be, and [the NBA,] that's the highest level. So yeah, that was always my goal,” he told Highsnobiety previously.
While the Charm Black Shai 001 is undeniably sleek, its neutral counterpart—dubbed the Hail Clay colorway—offers a subtler take on SGA’s signature shoe. The name is, of course, a reference to Shai’s wife Hailey. The couple have been together since their high school days in Ontario and welcomed their first child in 2024. Like her husband, Hailey is a formidable competitor; she played Division I soccer in college. She’s also a consistent source of support for Shai, inspiring him to be his best in every practice, game, and endeavor beyond basketball.
The performance-driven Shai 001 symbolizes that encouragement with a nod to the love of his life: its tan hue matches Hailey’s eye color. Just as every stitch in a pair of sculptural SHAI 001s is purposefully placed, the Converse Basketball creative director’s colorways are meticulously chosen to honor the people that matter most to him. It’s this same attentiveness that made him the league’s 2025 MVP.
Completing the trio of ‘Family’ colorways is Masi Blue, named after Shai’s brother Thomasi. Its deep hue is a sampling of the glacial Northern winters that backdropped their childhoods—and, on a symbolic level, how the rising star stays calm amidst the chaos. When you play for a team called the Thunder, it’s antithetical to be scared of a storm. Shai doesn’t zone out. He locks in. His love of the game, which he shares with Thomasi, burns bright enough to part any clouds brought on by doubt or pressure.
Fans knew to expect a style statement from the SHAI 001 ‘Family’ colorways, given their creator’s unmatched track record of viral tunnel-walk ‘fits and headline-making formalwear when the occasion calls for it (like the striking olive-green floral suit he wore to the 2018 draft, putting him on the radar of every NBA tastemaker). His vision and Converse’s elite construction have once more yielded an elegant athletic shoe that aces the assignment in terms of form and function. It’s clear the next-gen talent put his heart into the ‘Family’ editions of his signature sneaker. The resulting kicks are a testament to Shai’s commitment to being the best—as a player and a creative, sure, but also as a son, a husband, and a brother.
Head to converse.com to secure your pair.
