Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (left) wears Converse shoes in a playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves last month. Photo: David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
Converse is back at center court in the NBA Finals and hoping the attention reignites interest in the old-school brand.
State of play: NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — known to many fans as SGA — will lace up Converse shoes for the Oklahoma City Thunder when the NBA Finals begin tonight.
He signed an endorsement deal with the brand in 2020.
👟 Zoom in: Converse's "Chuck Taylor sneakers were a force in hoops into the 1970s, but then morphed into a casual shoe as Nike Inc. gobbled up market share in basketball," Bloomberg reports. "But in SGA, Converse now has a superstar that could help it relive the glory days."
Yes, but: Converse — which Nike bought in 2003 — has a long way to go.
The brand's sales were down 18% in its most recent reporting period, Bloomberg notes.
💠Nathan's thought bubble: SGA doesn't get the same type of attention as other NBA stars, but that could change if he captures the title for OKC.
