Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Debuts Converse SHAI 001 in Drake’s ‘Nokia’ Music Video

Toronto-born rap icon Drake continues to make waves in 2025 despite a tumultuous 2024 that included a high-profile rap feud with Kendrick Lamar and ongoing UMG legal challenges. Looking to shift the narrative back to music, he kicked off the year with the release of “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U,” a collaborative album with fellow Canadian artist PartyNextDoor. The standout track from the project, “Nokia,” has gained significant traction, and now, the song’s highly anticipated black-and-white music video is making headlines for more than just its nostalgic aesthetic. One of the biggest surprises in the video is the appearance of NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard who is widely considered an MVP frontrunner. While the video showcases Drake orchestrating a night out in throwback fashion—using an actual Nokia foldable phone, aka Nokia Communicator, to make plans—the real attention-grabber is SGA’s footwear.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Signature Converse SHAI 001 Steals the Show

Throughout the music video, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can be seen draped in multiple pairs of sneakers around his neck, including unreleased colourways of the Converse SHAI 001. Although the video’s monochrome filter keeps the hues a mystery, sneaker enthusiasts quickly recognized the signature model.

The Converse SHAI 001 was first unveiled earlier this year, and its innovative design and performance-driven build have already made it one of the most talked-about basketball sneakers on the market. The video serves as a perfect stage for SGA’s debut sneaker, offering a high-profile promotional moment for the Oklahoma City Thunder star and Converse.

While official details on some of the unreleased colourways remain scarce, previous social media posts from both SGA and his design team have provided a glimpse into the creative process behind the shoe. Fans eagerly awaiting new drops may have just gotten their first look at what’s to come.

 

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Drake and SGA: A Canadian Connection

The collaboration between Drake and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the “Nokia” video is a celebration of Canadian excellence across different industries. Drake, a global music icon, and SGA, a rising NBA superstar, represent two of the country’s biggest exports in entertainment and sports.

Drake, who has always had a deep-rooted connection to basketball—particularly through his affiliation with the Toronto Raptors—seems to acknowledge SGA’s growing dominance in the league. With the Thunder guard positioned as one of the NBA’s brightest stars, his signature sneaker moment in the “Nokia” video feels like a passing of the torch in Canadian sports culture.

A Sneaker Moment to Remember

With the Converse SHAI 001 already making waves on the court, its high-profile placement in Drake’s music video only adds to the hype. As SGA continues to prove himself as a dominant force in the NBA, his signature sneaker line is poised to follow suit.

For fans of basketball, music, and sneaker culture, the “Nokia” video is more than just a visual companion to Drake’s hit song—it’s a sneakerhead’s dream and a bold statement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s growing influence both on and off the court.