Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is handing sneakerheads a holiday gift without even wrapping it. Converse is rolling out the newest colorway of his signature sneaker, the SHAI 001, and yes, it’s a Christmas shoe. Red and green.
Some fans already lost their minds on Instagram. “Best one yet,” someone crowed. Another begged, “Son I need them but can someone paint my zipper red pls?” Then there’s the guy with zero hesitation: “Copping regardless.” One more isn’t leaving anything to chance: “Got my alerts ready.” And of course, the ultimate compliment: “he don’t miss”.
Shai has been steering Converse’s NBA ship since he joined the brand, and the man continues racking up wins. An MVP trophy. A shiny championship ring. The Oklahoma City Thunder might be heading for another if they keep this pace. Last postseason, he dropped a fresh colorway after every series win.
The new “Winter Red” pair ties back to his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. Converse says the design nods to the winterberry, one of the rare plants that keeps its color when everything else freezes over. Like Shai, staying bold in the cold. The mostly red sneaker gets flashes of green on the zipper, branding, and outsole. It’s the first real departure from the Shai 001’s more tonal looks, including the wildly popular Butter release.
Shai talked about what this shoe meant to him when the franchise first launched in February: “I poured my heart and soul into the Shai 001, and I’m proud to share it with the world. From performance to design, every aspect of this shoe reflects my passion for the game and my commitment to pushing its boundaries. We made the Shai 001 a versatile shoe for everyone — from the athlete who’s in the gym three times a day to the kids who just want to express themselves on or off the court.”
The very Christmasy Shai 001 Winter Red drops worldwide on Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. ET on Converse.com and at select retailers for $130. Sneaker fans don’t need stocking stuffers. They need more drops like this.
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