Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving’s new ANTA KAI 1 “Artist On Court” signature sneakers will release next week for consumers to purchase. The KAI 1 is his first signature sneaker since his split with Nike.
The ANTA kicks will release Wednesday, March 6 through ANTA’s website and via an in-store event at Sneaker Politics in Dallas. ANTA and the eight-time NBA All-Star made the official announcement on Tuesday.
Following a special release at Nice Kicks in San Francisco on Saturday, March 9, the shoes will hit the shelves at various select retail stores.
The ANTA KAI 1 in the initial “Artist On Court” colorway will also launch in the US at:
• March 7th at Extra Butter in New York
• March 9th at Nice Kicks in San Francisco pic.twitter.com/kZYlfLuje7— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) February 27, 2024
The Chinese apparel company revealed the purple-colored kicks about eight months after Irving signed a five-year sneaker contract in July 2023. The kicks will be available to buy at retail stores for $125.
Furthermore, the design is a nod to Kyrie’s “slick, gravity-defying transitions and crossovers,” ANTA said, and the colors represent his Native American roots.
“As Chief Creative Officer and a player, I’ve woven the essence of my heritage and my heart for basketball into the design of ANTA KAI 1,” Irving said of the new shoes.
“This is more than a shoe; it embodies our ancestors’ strength and the future we’re building. Every detail, from the hieroglyphics to the aerodynamic shape, tells the story of where we’ve been and where we’re going.”
Kyrie Irving’s ANTA KAI 1 “Artist On Court” signature sneakers feature a gold logo on the tongue
Of course, Irving wore his purple and pink “Artist on the Court” colorway in early-February. The new signature logo stands out in gold on the tongue. The midsole features TPU foam and the midfoot includes a carbon fiber plate.
Irving’s Nike sneakers were a fan-favorite for the longest time. Though, a culmination of factors in 2021 led to a soured relationship between the ex-Brooklyn Nets guard and the apparel company.
The 13-year NBA veteran despised Nike’s eighth edition of his shoe, and his controversial tweets ultimately led to the sneaker’s cancellation. In October 2022, the company suspended him after he shared a link to an anti-Semitic film.
ANTA
On Nov. 2, 2022, Irving and the Nets jointly announced they would each donate $500,000 to organizations combating religious hatred and would work with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to create programming related to opposing anti-Semitism.
However, Irving never apologized for promoting the film. As a result, the athletic apparel giant officially parted ways with him a month later in December. Their eight-year relationship had ended. He would have had an $11 million contract with Nike.
Irving was a shoe free agent for several months until the Mavericks guard signed with ANTA. He was “incredibly excited” for the future of their collaboration.
