Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first big Nike moment at Oklahoma City Thunder Media Day wasn’t a shoe of his own. It was an unreleased orange Virgil Abloh Archive x Nike Air Force 1 Low.
Why Fans Are Confused About Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Move to Nike
Many people are also confused about the break from Converse… Take the comments on @insanesneaker’s Instagram post, for example:
@flxxyz: “Shai signed to Nike ????”
@melmelent said seeing Nike on the shoe doesn’t feel right, while @easymoney.zaay2 noted it’s the same shoe with a Nike logo.
To clear things up, Gilgeous-Alexander spent years as one of Converse’s top athletes and even created his own signature shoe — the SHAI 001. This past offseason in June, he moved over to Nike, bringing his signature line with him and shocking many of his fans.
But since Nike has owned Converse since 2003, the shift isn’t as controversial as some people think.
Instead of using Thunder Media Day to debut his much-anticipated Nike signature line, the Shai 002, he surprised everyone by stepping out in a never-before-seen orange Virgil Abloh Archive x Nike Air Force 1 Low.
RELATED: Every Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Converse Shai 001 Release So Far
Orange Virgil Abloh Archive Air Force 1 Low: Key Details
- Shoe: Virgil Abloh Archive x Nike Air Force 1 Low
- Colorway: Orange with metallic silver Swooshes and white laces
- Price: TBA
- Release Date: TBA
- Worn By: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- First Seen: Oklahoma City Thunder Media Day, September 28, 2026
What Does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Orange Virgil Abloh Air Force 1 Look Like?
The silhouette is closely modeled on Virgil Abloh’s Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 Low, which released at ComplexCon back in 2017.
This version is bright orange (an apparent nod to the Thunder’s team colors) paired with crisp white laces and metallic silver Swooshes. Sole Retriever also notes the Nike Air tag is shifted to the side of the tongue, another Abloh signature detail. An orange Off-White version surfaced as a sample back in 2023, but it used a different shade and orange laces.
On other V.A.A. releases like the Air Jordan 1, the medial side text block now reads “V.A.A. for Nike” instead of “Off-White for Nike,” since Abloh’s estate no longer has any affiliation with the label he founded (it parted ways with Off-White in 2022). It’s not yet clear whether this orange pair carries the same text.
Can You Buy the Orange Virgil Abloh Air Force 1? Release Date and Price
As of October 2, it’s a nope. Nike hasn’t announced a release date, price, or retailer for this colorway.
So for the time being, this one remains an unreleased media day flex rather than a confirmed drop. We’ll update as soon as that changes.
RELATED: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s New Converse Sneakers Are a Heartfelt Tribute to His Son
Every Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Shoe Release: SHAI 001 Colorways, Style Codes and Release Dates
Here is every Converse SHAI 001 colorway released to date, with adult-size style codes and US release dates (restocks noted where they differ). The SHAI 002 has not been released yet.
| Colorway | Style Code | Release Date | Retail |
| Butter | A18771C-100 | September 4, 2025 | $130 |
| Charm Black | A18977C | October 2, 2025 | $130 |
| Hail Clay | A18978C | October 2, 2025 | $130 |
| Masi Blue | A18772C | October 2, 2025 | $130 |
| Winter Red | A18775C | December 11, 2025 | $130 |
| Clean Slate | A19934C | January 2, 2026 (wider restock February 13) | $130 |
| Ares Grey (also listed as Iron Grey) | A19837C | January 22, 2026 | $130 |
| Lux Truffle | A18486C-200 | February 26, 2026 (All-Star Weekend drop February 14) | $170 |
| Pink | A19838C | March 12, 2026 | $130 |
| Echo (Camo) | A19839C | April 2, 2026 | $130 |
| Premium Ink | A23978C | May 14, 2026 | $150 |
| Premium Steel | A23977C | June 11, 2026 | $150 |
| Premium Slither | A24274C | July 14, 2026 | $150 |
| Lace Up Berry | A24323C | August 14, 2026 | $120 |
| Lace Up Lime | A24322C | August 14, 2026 | $120 |
| Lace Up Cheetah | A24961C | September 3, 2026 | $120 |
| Shroud Shock (Black/Green Beam) | A23975C | September 24, 2026 | $140 |
| Shroud Spark (Ghosted/Dream Yellow) | A23976C | September 24, 2026 | $140 |
| Sun Ray/Egret | A23933C | TBA (surfaced at overseas retailers) | $130 (expected) |
