After parting ways with Nike last year, Kyrie Irving appears to have secured a new shoe partnership with Chinese sportswear company Anta Sports. Spotted wearing Anta's Shock Wave Pro 5 at his basketball camp, this sighting aligns with Irving's recent social media announcement about an impending shoe deal he claimed would be groundbreaking. Anta already sponsors several NBA players, including Klay Thompson and Gordon Hayward.
This potential partnership comes after Nike severed ties with Irving in December 2022 following his promotion of a film with antisemitic content on social media. Nike's decision included canceling the release of his signature shoe, the Nike Kyrie 8. Irving faced an eight-game suspension from the Brooklyn Nets before eventually being traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
While Irving's agreement with Anta hasn't been officially confirmed, the timing coincides with the upcoming NBA free agency period, which begins July 6th. The eight-time All-Star averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists last season, split between the Nets and Mavericks. He enters free agency at 31 years old.
