SGA's Vintage Style Inspires Converse 'Shai Weapon' Sneakers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is putting his spin on the iconic Converse Weapon.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the face of the Converse Weapon. / Converse

NBA All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just finished competing in the Paris Olympics. The 26-year-old made headlines for his play and his unimpeachable fashion style. Gilgeous-Alexander is proving to be a force to be reckoned with on and off the basketball court.

Earlier this year, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard helped Converse usher in the Weapon's return. As the face of the brand's 'Create History, Not Hype' campaign, Gilgeous-Alexander is continuing to inspire the storied franchise and define a new era for those who'd rather stand out than fall in line.

To bridge the shoe's origins to today, Converse is introducing the Shai Weapon—a colorway combining Gilgeous-Alexander's passion for vintage style with contemporary application.

In crafting the Shai Weapon, Converse set out to deliver a style with the appearance of a pair that might be unearthed at a local thrift shop or garage sale—the outsole is worn and aged, the leather cracked from years of wear and tear.

The 'Shai' Converse Weapon. / Converse

The result is a high-top featuring a Vintage White, premium leather upper with synthetic leather crackle print underlays in Winsome Orchid hues on the Star Chevron and collar.

Combined with an exposed tongue foam and pastel yellow midsole and outsole, the Shai Weapon offers an aged aesthetic with contemporary color application that connects the silhouette's origins to today.

Since its return to Converse's lineup, the Weapon has been sought by collaborators, including fragment design, UNDEFEATED, Kasina, and more to apply modern executions onto a classic style.

But with the Shai Weapon, Converse delivers a take on the shoe influenced and informed by its '80s lineage. The Shai Weapon will be available beginning August 14 in a limited global release at Converse.com and select retail partners.

Just ahead of the NBA season, Gilgeous-Alexander will officially begin his role as a creative director of Converse Basketball effective September 2024. Stay locked into Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the sports world and beyond.

Further Reading: Ranking the Team USA's basketball sneakers from best to worst.