In Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton became a part of history when they went toe-to-toe in their debut signature shoes.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 26-year-old style-bending superstar, took the court in his Converse SHAI 001, officially unveiled in February and worn by SGA on his journey to the Finals as the 2024-25 NBA MVP.
Meanwhile, the morning of Game 1 delivered a shock reveal of the debut signature model for Haliburton, who, in October 2024, signed a massive endorsement deal with Puma, which surprisingly had a shoe ready for the 25-year-old Indiana Pacers point guard to continue his team’s storybook playoff run in the Finals. And, as perfect as it could have been scripted, Haliburton hit a game-winning shot to give the Pacers a 111-110 win over the Thunder on the night he debuted the Puma Hali 1.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton have joined an exclusive list of about 20 players in NBA history who have played in the Finals while wearing their debut signature shoes.
“It’s an absolute honor for Puma to have been represented on that court as Tyrese made history,” said Denise Thrasher, Puma’s head of basketball marketing, in a statement to Andscape. “It proved the power of showing up for your athletes, validated our cutting‑edge product innovation, and showed what true partnership can achieve.”
NBA players who’ve worn their debut signature sneakers in the NBA Finals
- Bob Cousy (P-F Bob Cousy All-American, 1961)
- Clyde Frazier (Puma Clyde, 1973)
- Julius Erving (Converse Dr. J, 1977)
- Isiah Thomas (Puma Palace Guard, 1990)
- John Salley (Osaga Spider, 1990)
- Magic Johnson (Converse Magic Triple-Double, 1991)
- Charles Barkley (Nike Air Force Max, 1993)
- Kevin Johnson (Converse Run ’N Slam, 1993)
- Clyde Drexler (Avia 990 Clyde Drexler, 1994)
- Dennis Rodman (Nike Shake Ndestrukt, 1996)
- Scottie Pippen (Nike Air Pippen I, 1997)
- Ben Wallace (AND 1 Chose One, 2004)
- Tim Duncan (Adidas D-Cool, 2005)
- Dwyane Wade (Jordan Fly Wade, 2011)
- Tony Parker (Peak TP9-1, 2014)
- Kyrie Irving (Nike Kyrie 1, 2015)
- Stephen Curry (Under Armour Curry 1, 2015)
- Langston Galloway (Ethics lgOne, 2021)
Out of the 18 players before Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton who reached the Finals in their debut shoes, 12 of them ended the season in which they received their first signature model of their career as an NBA champion.
“It’s been an incredible year for Shai, showcasing his talent and proving himself as a marquee player in the league,” said Rodney Rambo, Converse’s global chief marketing officer, in a statement to Andscape.
“His journey to the Finals and winning the MVP award has been nothing short of extraordinary, and he’s not done yet. As a brand for creators, we’ve always known Shai moved differently. His unmatched creativity, both on and off the court, sets him apart.”
The matchup between SGA in the Converse SHAI 001 and Haliburton in the Puma Hali 1 also notably marks just the second time in NBA history that two players have faced each other in the Finals while laced in their first signature models. The inaugural Finals matchup of debut signature shoes took place in 2015 between Golden State Warriors All-Star point guard Stephen Curry, in the Under Armour Curry 1, and then-Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, in the Nike Kyrie 1.
Yet, one thing that sets apart the 2025 NBA Finals matchup between the Converse SHAI 001 and Puma Hali 1 is that neither sneaker is available for purchase, with both models scheduled to hit retail in the fall ahead of the 2025-26 season.
“Seeing Shai reach this point before his signature shoe, the SHAI 001, launching this fall is remarkable,” continued Rambo in his statement to Andscape. “We’re supporting Shai every step of the way and will continue to invest in athletes and creators who are independent and forge their own paths. Shai is a prime example.”
The unique trend of star basketball players competing for an NBA championship in their debut signature sneakers spans seven decades, dating to the 1960-61 season, when legendary point guard Bob Cousy led the Boston Celtics to a title in his P.F. Bob Cousy All-American basketball shoe. The Cousy All-American was first released 65 years ago in the fall of 1960 for $8.95 a pair, several months before the Celtics went on to become the 1961 NBA champions.
It’s also worth noting that neither Gilgeous-Alexander nor Haliburton is the first player from their respective brands to play in the NBA Finals while wearing their debut signature shoe. In 1973, basketball and sneaker legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier led the New York Knicks to their most recent NBA championship while laced in his debut – and timeless – signature model, the Puma Clyde.
A few years later, Julius “Dr. J” Erving became the first basketball player since Chuck Taylor to receive a signature shoe from Converse. Erving’s debut shoe, the Converse Dr. J, was released in the fall of 1976, before he and the Philadelphia 76ers reached the 1977 Finals later that season.
By 1990, famed Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas claimed the second of back-to-back NBA titles with the “Bad Boys” while rocking the first signature shoe of his career, dubbed the Puma Palace Guard.
In 1993, Phoenix Suns point guard Kevin Johnson sported his first of two Converse Run ’N Slam models in a Finals loss to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, which completed their dynasty’s first run of three consecutive titles.
“I won a lot of games in my Pumas,” Thomas told Andscape in 2019. “My fondest memory is winning a championship in them and pouring that champagne on my head.”
Wearing the new Puma Hali 1s, Haliburton’s heroic pull-up jumper from 21 feet with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1 marked the latest game-winning shot in a Finals game since Jordan’s buzzer-beater in Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals.
Yet the Hali-to-MJ sneaker comparison runs even deeper. Former NBA player-turned-podcaster Jeff Teague went as far as to call Puma and Haliburton’s surprise unveil of his new signature the “greatest debut of a shoe since Mike,” referencing when MJ broke out the Air Jordan 14s for the first time in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, which ended with his game-winning shot that won the Bulls their sixth and final championship of the ’90s.
“The secret sauce today was these,” said Haliburton at his postgame news conference, pointing to his size 14 signature shoes he placed on the table next to the microphone.
Haliburton finished off the night on X with the post, “It’s gotta be the shoooeeesss.”
In a matchup between Gilgeous-Alexander’s Converse SHAI 001 and Haliburton’s Puma Hali 1, there are six games left to decide whose debut signature shoe prevails.