The NBA Conference Finals sneaker game delivered again along with elite basketball on the court.
With two Game 1s going to overtime, basketball fans are winning again. The NBA 2026 Conference Finals have delivered elite basketball and even better sneaker heat from the players. That energy carried over into Game 2, with more player exclusives and fresh colorways stepping onto the hardwood. These are the best pairs from the opening week of the conference finals so far.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Fresh off being named league MVP for the second time in his career, SGA debuted the Shai 001 PREMIUM: ‘Slither,’ another brand new colorway during Game 1. It’s another strong addition to the growing lineup of colorways for his signature sneaker, a pair he also casually rocks in the tunnel.
Jalen Brunson
Brunson continues to rotate through Nike Kobe Protros, this time lacing up another Kobe 5 PE. The new face of the Black Mamba’s signature line dropped a game-high 38 points in the Knicks’ Game 1 comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers — a special pair for a special performance.
Donovan Mitchell
Another neat colorway on this list is the black-and-white D.O.N. Issue 8 ‘Yin & Yang.’ Mitchell wore the pair during Game 2 warmups, and it would’ve blended perfectly with Cleveland’s white uniforms on the floor.
Harrison Barnes
Even in a mentorship role with limited minutes, Spurs veteran Harrison Barnes still brought sneaker heat in Game 2. Barnes laced up the Air Jordan 40 UNC PE, a clean colorway inspired by his alma mater.
Dylan Harper
The Spurs rookie debuted another PE colorway of the TITAN x Nike G.T. Cut 1. This marks the second of the three collaborations between Nike and Filipino basketball concept store TITAN. Once again, Harper proudly represented his roots on basketball’s biggest stage.
Banner Images from New York Knicks on Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions
SGA wore the Converse Shai 001 PREMIUM in the ‘Slither’ colorway during Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Conference Finals. The debut came shortly after he was named NBA MVP for the second time, adding significance to the PE release within his growing signature line.
Jalen Brunson laced up a Nike Kobe 5 Protro player exclusive during Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Conference Finals. He scored a game-high 38 points in the pair, continuing his pattern of rotating through Kobe Protro PEs throughout the postseason for the New York Knicks.
The TITAN x Nike G.T. Cut 1 is a player exclusive collaboration between Nike and TITAN, a Filipino basketball concept store. Dylan Harper wore a new PE colorway in Game 2 of the 2026 Conference Finals, marking the second of three planned colorways in the Nike–TITAN partnership.
Donovan Mitchell wore the Adidas D.O.N. Issue 8 in a black-and-white ‘Yin & Yang’ colorway during Game 2 warmups of the 2026 NBA Conference Finals. The clean colorway was designed to complement Cleveland’s white uniforms had Mitchell taken the floor in them.
Harrison Barnes wore the Air Jordan 40 in a UNC PE colorway during Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Conference Finals. The colorway was inspired by the University of North Carolina, Barnes’ alma mater, and was notable given his limited but veteran mentorship role with the San Antonio Spurs.
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