In their heyday, Converse was a basketball powerhouse. Top basketball stars like Dr. J, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson donned the Converse Weapon during their legendary tenures making it one of the most popular shoes of all time. Throughout the years, Converse had bright spots on the basketball court including Larry Johnson’s Aero Jam in 1993 and D-Wade’s signature line before his departure to Jordan Brand.
Though Converse’s star on the court may have dimmed a bit in subsequent years, the brand has been retooling their basketball line and the signature athletes supporting them. Since dropping models like the All-Star Pro BB and the Converse G4, the One Star has added All-Star and champion Draymond Green, burgeoning forward Kelly Oubre Jr., and WNBA star Natasha Cloud. Now, Converse has added even more talent and depth to their growing roster by adding the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rising star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Since his college days under John Calipari in Kentucky, the Toronto, Canada native has shown the tools to do it all. In his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers, SGA put the world on notice with a breakout series in the playoffs against the Warriors. Following a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a piece of the monumental Paul George trade, Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to improve, becoming the youngest player to accrue a 20-20-10 stat line.
It isn’t just SGA’s crafty game and two-way ability that make him the perfect fit for Converse, either. SGA has emerged as one of the league’s most fashionable talents alongside fellow Converse compatriot Kelly Oubre Jr. After seeing Oubre’s recent release, it is clear that Converse is giving the power to the players to take advantage of their fashionable flair and creativity to bring a new edge to the court.
With Oubre being sidelined and Draymond’s Warriors missing out on the NBA’s return in Orlando, Gilgeous-Alexander will step on the court as Converse’s only on-court representative. In his announcement, SGA can be seen with the legendary Pro Leather draped over his shoulder which is more of an off-court look and in a custom OKC Thunder colorway of the low All-Star Pro BB, just the first in the “many flavors to come” he teased on his Instagram Story. With SGA joining the team, Converse Basketball is in great hands.
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