After Nike Fallout, $90 Million Worth Kyrie Irving Signs Historic Endorsement Deal With Chinese Brand ANTA

The Dallas Mavericks player and eight-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving has agreed to a significant new endorsement agreement with the Chinese sportswear company ANTA. Irving has found a new home for his distinctive footwear and more. Irving broke relations with Nike last December after supporting an anti-Semitic movie on his social media accounts.

 

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Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Irving has inked a five-year contract with ANTA. This isn’t your standard endorsement agreement, though, as the business has named Irving its Chief Creative Officer. The agreement will enable Irving to find and sign other players and partners for the company, as well as bring some production to the United States, assisting in the growth of ANTA’s domestic presence.

Kyrie Irving gets a new partner

“I’m incredibly excited about this collaboration,” Irving said in a statement. “The first step in becoming partners is to share the same dreams, goals, and missions. ANTA’s rapid development over the years, openness to creativity, willingness to embrace family and teamwork, expertise in areas like product innovation and manufacturing processes have left a remarkable impression on not just me, but also my A11Even team who will work side by side with me in creating something truly generationally special.”

The agreement will also make it easier to start ANTA x KYRIE Youth Basketball Camps all around the world, with China and the United States likely to host the first such tournaments. In the first quarter of 2024, Irving’s first ANTA-branded signature sneaker is anticipated to go on sale.

 

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On ANTA’s roster, which also includes Gordon Hayward of the Charlotte Hornets and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, Irving is the most recent NBA player. After leaving Nike in 2015, Thompson has served as the brand’s spokesperson. In 2017, he reportedly agreed to a 10-year deal for $80 million.

 

 

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At the beginning of NBA free agency, Irving signed a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mavericks. After being acquired from Brooklyn, he played in 20 games with the Mavs, averaging 27 points, six assists, and five rebounds.

Kyrie Irving and Nike split in 2022

Since his first season with the sportswear giant in 2011, Irving has been a part of Nike, and he has one of the most successful signature sneaker lines with the company, selling millions of pairs of shoes and gear globally. In addition, he collaborated with singers, artists, and celebrities to develop and advertise his items.

But in November, when Irving tweeted a link to a movie called “The Protocols of Zion,” which contains antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, things took a turn for the worst. Irving received criticism for the tweet from followers, the media, and the Jewish community, who accused him of propagating false information and hate speech.

Nike moved swiftly to separate itself from Irving, denouncing all manifestations of antisemitism and announcing the immediate termination of its partnership with him. The Kyrie 8, his newest trademark sneaker, which was supposed to reach the market in December, was also scrapped, according to the firm.

A rare and dramatic example of how an athlete’s off-court behaviour may impact their on-court career is Irving’s breakup with Nike. As Nike has the ability to establish or ruin a player’s footwear history, it also demonstrates how strong and important the brand is in the world of basketball. Irving might have lost his contract with Nike, but he hasn’t lost his love for the sport or his supporters. Whether or not his shoes have a swoosh, he will still garner attention for both his performance and footwear.

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