Choose your Weapon.
What’s past is prologue, at least when it comes to classic Converse sneakers revamped and worn by today’s NBA stars, like the recent return of the Converse Weapon, as fresh and yet timeless a pair of kicks as any.
The Converse Weapon was first worn famously by Larry Bird at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend.
On the heels of the game’s return to Bird’s Indiana last weekend, All-NBA first team point guard and two-time All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rocked the retro kicks.
The rising superstar also stars in a revamp of the famed “Choose Your Weapon” campaign, and Gilgeous-Alexander also appeared in conversation with Larry Bird himself to chat all things style, legacy and of course, fresh Converse sneakers.
“[The focus on history] is all about engaging with meaning and having substance behind each move, which for me leads to a greater sense of fulfillment in everything I do,” the superstar said of the campaign, according to Hypebeast.
Both the Weapon and the Weapon Ox now return in their form and material build, complete with leather uppers, star Chevron overlays, a cupsole design and a signature Y-bar from the original Weapon.
As the sneaker giant notes, the OG Weapon “was the preeminent sneaker of choice for stars of the late ’80s and early ’90s.”
Of the new face of the Converse Weapon, the footwear brand said Gilgeous-Alexander (who had 31 points, four rebounds and four assists in the All-Star Game) is “carrying the proverbial torch from the stars of the ’80s who plied their trade in the Weapon and ushering in the next chapter of the silhouette’s storied legacy.”
If history is any indication, the latest rebirth of a classic is a sign of big things to come for both the young NBA star and the future legacy of these iconic sneakers. Time to lace ’em up.