In April 2024, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the new Creative Director of Basketball at Converse. But this deal wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill endorsement. No, it gave Shai “creative control over the design” of his signature line of shoes. And the Shai 001s haven’t missed so far. But as we head into the NBA Finals, you may notice something different about the 2025 NBA MVP’s shoes.

Now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Converse combined to release the Shai 001 back in February. The Nike website called the shoes “a symphony of contrasts — tough and elegant, powerful and precise.” The shoes were an instant hit as fans gravitated towards the unique design that SGA put out. And for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, these collaborators have something special in store.

SGA’s signature shoe for the NBA Finals

Behold, the ‘Shai 001 Masi Blue,’ a new colorway of the Converse Shai 001 shoe. SGA debuted the fifth installment of his signature line of sneakers right ahead of Game 1 of the Finals. And rest assured, the Shai 001 ‘Masi Blue’ will be the shoes he’ll wear in this series. But what’s (or rather, who) the inspiration?

Inspiration behind SGA’s new ‘MASI BLUE’ colorway revealed

Now, the hardcore Thunder and SGA fans among you have probably guessed that Masi has something to do with Shai’s brother, Thomasi Gilgeous-Alexander. Well, these shoes are meant to pay homage to his brother. “Dedicated to the one that remains stoic and as cool as ice under pressure, my brother Masi. This one is for you,” Shai wrote in the caption of the Instagram post unveiling these sneakers.

But even the most hardcore fan will never guess the way Thomasi inspired Shai to come up with this colorway. You see, it traces back to the time the brothers were growing up. Thomasi had a pair of shoes, Jordans specifically, that he preferred over others. The only catch? They were fake. “He had some fake Jordans that were this color, and he wore them everywhere,” said Shai as he revealed how he made those fake Nikes a reality by implementing the colorway in his latest shoes. But these shoes aren’t the first to pay homage to someone in Shai’s family.

The 2025 MVP released the “Hail Clay” for his wife Hailey, the “Ares Grey” for his son Ares, and finally the “Charm Black” colorway in honor of his mother, Charmaine. And his brother, Thomasi, now joins them in being immortalized through the Canadian guard’s signature line of shoes. By now, you must be pumped to get yourselves a pair of these sneakers. So, here’s what we know about the release date and price of these sneakers.

How much does SHAI 001 ‘Masi Blue’ cost?

As the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers battle it out to win their franchise’s first-ever championship, the spotlight will be firmly on the 2025 MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Considering the stakes, everything about Shai will be under the microscope. And if you’re an SGA loyalist, you’d love nothing more than to support Shai by repping the latest release from his signature line.

Sadly, you will need to hold your horses. The SHAI 001 ‘Masi Blue’ will become available for us fans to buy in Fall 2025, as confirmed by the MVP’s announcement post. Moreover, there isn’t an exact release date for these kicks either. So, if you’re a Thunder fan who wants to support SGA, make sure you hang on tight to that OKC jersey in your closet.

But we do know one thing about these sneakers — their price. And it’s all thanks to SneakerFreaker, who reported that the Shai 001 ‘Masi Blue’ will set fans back around $130. For context, a pair of LeBron 22 “Dunkman” starts at $170. So this price isn’t too bad, all things considered.

All in all, this Shai-Converse linkup has given us some great kicks so far. From the “Charm Black” to the “Masi Blue”, this creative director gig is yielding banger after banger. And we can’t wait to see what Shai comes up with if he and the Oklahoma City Thunder win a chip this season!

Here is everything you want to know about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s signature shoes that he’ll wear in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals.