The long wait for the release of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first signature shoe, “SHAI 001,” ended on Thursday. The Converse shoes were available at KITH, Toronto, and Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is also Gilgeous-Alexander’s cousin, waited 12 hours in line to be the first to get them.
“Had to be here today because it’s the first-ever release of the shoes, and it generated a lot of hype,” Alexander-Walker said. “Being close to him. For me, it’s nostalgic just to be in line camping for a shoe. And then also knowing it’s one of my best friend’s shoe, it hits a little different.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was at this KITH store and himself gave the shoes in the “BUTTER” colorway to Alexander-Walker. It’s great to see this kind of bond between the two cousins.
In case you’re wondering why Gilgeous-Alexander couldn’t just give his cousin a pair beforehand, he had actually given him a few of them. Alexander-Walker was playing in them last season and revealed he had already gone through four or five pairs over time. The 27-year-old was wearing the shoes while standing in line, too.
Fans, unsurprisingly, also had some doubts about whether Alexander-Walker actually waited 12 hours. Well, Bryan Chow was there with him and shared a picture of the two of them sleeping in front of the store.
Promise y’all we were there all night😭😂 https://t.co/X0xFuhX6GD pic.twitter.com/mKrP8UDTfV
— Bryan Chow (@_BryanChow) September 4, 2025
So, all the skeptics can put their doubts aside for once and celebrate the bond between Gilgeous-Alexander and Alexander-Walker.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s signature shoe was revealed before the All-Star Game, and fans had been eagerly waiting for the release. They were available at select Undefeated and KITH stores, and also online for $130. To no one’s surprise, the shoes were sold out on Converse’s website just minutes into the launch.
This speaks to Gilgeous-Alexander’s fame. The 27-year-old just won his first MVP award in 2025 and also led the Thunder to the NBA championship. He was named Western Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP in the process as well.
The Thunder rewarded Gilgeous-Alexander with a four-year, $285 million supermax extension this offseason. To say it was well-deserved would be an understatement. The three-time All-Star averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Thunder in 2024-25.
Alexander-Walker also got a new deal of his own this summer. The Hawks landed him via a sign-and-trade deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, giving him a four-year, $62 million contract.
