On vacation filled with anticipation, Kyrie Irving appears to have found his next sneakerhead, and he’s reportedly signed with Anta (h/t) Sports Illustrated’s Pat Benson). At his annual basketball summer camp, Irving was seen wearing Anta Shock Wave Pro 5 basketball shoes, hinting at the new partnership.
Anta, a Chinese sports equipment company established in 1991, already sponsors seven NBA athletes, including Klay Thompson and Gordon Hayward. While an official announcement has yet to be made, Irving teased the upcoming deal on Instagram Live, expressing his excitement and saying he’s about to “blow this water.”
After parting ways with Nike, prompted by his controversial social media post and comments, Irving was looking for a new sneaker sponsor. Nike canceled the release of its ninth sneaker, the Nike Kyrie 8, and cut ties with the bouncer.