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Following the Oklahoma City Thunder's Western Conference Finals loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he will give "zero input" to the front office on roster moves this offseason.
Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made a massive career shift in his shoe game. Gilgeous-Alexander is now a Nike signature athlete, leaving Converse after six years.
The OKC Thunder superstar teased the career shift on his Instagram story before Nike confirmed the move.
Nike released a statement addressing their newest addition to their signature athletes.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Nike Basketball signature family,” Nike said in a statement. “Coming after back-to-back MVP seasons, we are excited to build on Shai’s incredible impact with Converse as one of the most creative leaders in the game.”
The move is reminiscent of three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade’s shift from Converse to Air Jordan in 2010.
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander is a former Nike athlete before moving to Converse. He is now again with the Swoosh brand.
Gilgeous-Alexander was a former Nike athlete back in 2018, the same year he was drafted in the NBA by the LA Clippers. He left the Swoosh brand in 2020, when he was on his way to a superstar trajectory with the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been a trailblazer in the sneaker world, signing a deal with Converse in 2024 to be the Creative Director of Converse Basketball, which would allow him to have creative control over his shoes.
His first-ever signature sneaker, Shai 001, was released in 2025, the same year he led the Thunder to the NBA championship on top of winning his first MVP award. The shoe’s release has been a massive success with many colorways and variants now in public.
For now, SGA fans wait for his next signature shoe under the Nike brand.
GettyOklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expresses plans for the offseason.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be letting everyone do their job in the offseason following the Thunder’s failed title bid this year.
According to him, he will not get his hands on roster decisions in the offseason, as he still has to prioritize being a father to his family and improving as a player.
“I don’t have the time or energy to do Sam’s job in my everyday life. Basketball takes up a lot. And then — I mean, you can’t wear every hat in every relationship,” he said. “I can’t go home and be the wife of the house and the kid of the house. I just can’t do that. I’ve got to wear my dad hat.”
“It’s the same thing when I come to work. Like I wear the Shai hat and Sam wears the Sam hat, Mark wears the Mark hat, and Chet wears the Chet hat. We all do our part to make our family in the building whole and running on all cylinders. That’s how we’ve operated, and that’s how we’re going to continue.”
The Thunder has numerous roster decisions that need to be addressed in the offseason, including the contracts of Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, and Kenrich Williams.
The Thunder lost in seven games against the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander has released clips of offseason workouts right after the NBA Finals. He is expected to return in full strength for the Thunder’s 2025-2026 NBA campaign.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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