Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had plenty of options for his first Media Day since joining Nike. Yet, the MVP wore neither his Shai 001 nor gave a first look at his upcoming Shai 002. The Oklahoma City player showed up in a Nike Air Force 1 Low that’s never been seen before, straight from the Virgil Abloh Archive (V.A.A). This appearance offers a new glimpse into the projects developed between Nike and the designer's archives, who passed away in 2021.
Photo credits: @okcthunder (Instagram) and @nba (Instagram)
Since the exhibition Virgil Abloh: The Code, held at the Grand Palais in September 2025, the V.A.A has indeed been developing several projects directly with the Swoosh, independent of Off-White. This orange version is the second V.A.A branded Air Force 1 spotted this year. So far, no release has been confirmed for this new Air Force 1. However, its appearance comes just a few weeks after the official transition of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Converse to Nike Basketball, where his next signature shoe will now be developed under the Swoosh.