The NBA playoffs have not gone according to plan. After racking up the best record in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers got walloped by the Indiana Pacers in the second round. The defending champion Boston Celtics, meanwhile, crashed out against the New York Knicks. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, and many others all went home earlier than expected, too.
One element of the postseason that hasn’t been all that surprising, though? There’s been no shortage of sneaker heat on the hardwood, from brand-new signature models to wild new spins on classic silhouettes. And with the Oklahoma City Thunder now taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, we’re about to witness two of the league’s brightest stars—Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous Alexander—face off in two of the sport’s sickest shoes: Ant’s beloved Adidas AE1 and Shai’s much-hyped Converse Shai 001.
That’s just the kind of high-stakes footwear drama we’ve come to expect from the NBA. Here are the best sneakers of the 2025 NBA playoffs—so far.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Converse Shai 001
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MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander premiered his debut Converse signatures at All-Star Weekend in February—a sci-fi silhouette in a butter yellow colorway that looked particularly great off the court with baggy denim. During the playoffs, however, Gilgeous-Alexander’s favored the Shai 001 in mean black and gray makeups that have felt more in line with his serious, locked-in performances against the Grizzlies and Nuggets.
Anthony Edwards’ Adidas Anthony Edwards 1 Low ‘Metallic Grey’
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