Kyrie Irving has simply lit up this postseason. Alongside his sensational performances, the Dallas Mavericks star’s array of shoe collections has also caught the eyes during the playoffs. Expectedly, the latter half of this storyline remained constant when the 32-year-old set foot in a clash filled with great consequences.
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While squaring off against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Irving decided to pay tribute to his parents with his latest kicks. And the 8x All-Star did so dazzlingly, garnering the attention of the crowd even before the whistle was blown.
As per B/R Kicks on X (formerly Twitter), the Mavs guard debuted in his brand new ANTA KAI 1 Speed ‘Twin Flame’ for this anticipated clash. Interestingly, his father, Drederick, designed this shoe to honor his belated wife, Elizabeth, through the colorway. The purple represented the former while the orange represented the latter, with the pink paying homage to their bond.
The couple first met at Boston University during the 1980s before forging the connection for a lifetime. As a result, Irving intentionally chose to wear this shoe during Game 1, increasing the melodramatic nature of his coveted return to the city.
Kyrie Irving is debuting his Anta Kai 1 SPEED "Twin Flame" honoring his father Drederick Irving 👏❤️
The shoe represents Dred's connection to Boston University, where him and his wife Elizabeth met. pic.twitter.com/Fs9GSufyTs
— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) June 6, 2024
It’s quite common for NBA stars to debut in their new signature releases during the big occasions. So, ‘Uncle Drew’ merely capitalized on the age-old marketing tactic. After all, this shoe deserved special attention, not only for its historical significance but also for its unique design.
Drederick tapped into the ideas from outside the box while creating this sneaker. For instance, the ANTA strike logo isn’t embedded into the midsole of this shoe. Instead, this has been placed in the mesh upper. Additionally, the shoe’s overall design, from the toe box to the strap, differs completely from the usual collections of the KAI 1 series, giving this one a distinctive identity.
All these have built an exciting premise ahead of the public release of this shoe, with the Irving household’s collaboration with the Chinese brand, ANTA, already starting to disrupt the market.
How did Kyrie Irving & Co. pull this off?
After Nike severed its connection to Irving, the latter was on the lookout for a sports equipment company to sponsor him. That’s where ANTA came in, showcasing all its might with its proposal. They structured the deals with the 2016 champion while acknowledging its emotional quotient from the get-go.
In 2023, they signed Drederick as the first signature athlete of Irving’s shoe line. The former college basketball player consequently received his signature shoe line, providing him with the freedom to design the kicks.
Undoubtedly, Drederick has exercised his privilege for the right reasons. After all, the recently revealed sneaker was a product of this collaboration. This excites Irving’s fans about the prospects of the future, enhancing their cravings for more such kicks in the coming years.
