Over a year ago, Kyrie Irving’s shoe deal with Nike was terminated amid the controversy in Brooklyn. At that time there was some Antisemitic material on his social media. Now, Irving has landed a five-year deal with the Chinese Sportswear brand, ANTA. The deal also makes Irving the Chief Creative Officer at the company.
The specifics of the deal are not known yet. It’s also unknown whether the new shoe deal for Kyrie Irving will allow for the shoes to be called “Kyrie’s” or if that is still trademarked by Nike.
After meeting with multiple teams this offseason, but ultimately the 31-year-old re-signed with Dallas. While there is a chance that it was the only offer he received. It most certainly might be the best deal that he would’ve received. The 8-time All-Star signed the deal rather quickly.
While he had his shoe deal with Nike, Irving’s shoes were one of the most popular sneaker lines they had. Outside of the Jordans, Kobe’s, LeBron’s and KD’s. He was making at least $11 million annually through that deal. The following statement was released around the time of the suspension:
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism, To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”
It is still unclear when Irving’s new shoe line will be coming. That process is probably in the works. In addition to Irving, other notable NBA players that are currently under contract with Anta include Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, and Alex Caruso.
Irving averaged 27 points, six assists and five rebounds in 20 games for the Mavericks while dealing with a foot injury. The Mavericks wound up missing the playoffs after going 9-18 with the arrival of Irving. So they’ll look to do better in a full season.
Kyrie Irving’s new shoe deal most certainly could lead to more partnerships with overseas companies. Especially, with Irving being a respected player in the NBA. Whether or not, his new shoe line is as popular as the old one will be. It’ll be something to keep an eye on.
The 12-year veteran is expected to begin the upcoming season wearing the brand’s Shockwave 5.
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