Nike sends strong message after signing NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nike has made its intentions clear after officially adding NBA champion and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to its signature athlete roster.

Fresh off another remarkable season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander confirmed a move that many basketball fans had been anticipating when Nike officially welcomed him to its star-studded lineup of signature athletes.

The announcement marks the end of Shai’s highly successful run as the face of Converse Basketball and puts him alongside some of the biggest names in the sport.

Nike sends strong message after signing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

After Gilgeous-Alexander teased the move on social media, Nike quickly followed with an official statement celebrating the Thunder superstar’s arrival.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Nike Basketball signature family,” the company said.

Nike also highlighted the impact Gilgeous-Alexander has made during his rise from promising young guard to one of the NBA’s defining stars.

“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 statement underlines just how highly Nike views the Oklahoma City star after one of the most successful stretches by any player in the league.

Since 2022, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 31.3 points, 6.2 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game while collecting two MVP awards, four All-Star selections and four All-NBA honours.

Most importantly, he helped deliver an NBA championship to Oklahoma City, achieving something that eluded previous Thunder stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

Shai joins some of basketball’s biggest names

Although this is Gilgeous-Alexander’s first stint as a Nike signature athlete, it is not his first relationship with the brand.

Before signing with Converse in 2020, the Canadian guard began his NBA career wearing Nike sneakers.

His move is also less dramatic than it may initially appear given Converse is owned by Nike and shares many of the same performance technologies.

Still, joining Nike’s signature roster places Gilgeous-Alexander in elite company.

The brand’s current lineup includes LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant and Devin Booker, while Cade Cunningham is also expected to receive a signature line in the near future.

Nike’s women’s basketball roster is equally impressive, featuring A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark.

For Gilgeous-Alexander, the move represents another milestone in a journey that has taken him from the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to one of the faces of modern basketball.

And judging by Nike’s statement, the company believes his influence on the game is only just beginning.

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