Anta and Kyrie Irving Announce Anta Kai 1 Shoe

Anta and Kyrie Irving have announced the Anta Kai 1 shoe. Irving plays for the Dallas Mavericks and signed a shoe deal with Anta in 2023.

The unique sneaker features a cultural mosaic curated by illustrious Black Footwear Design Director Jared Subawon. It has a hieroglyphic-esque code on the upper. "The Journey is the reward" is engraved into the midsole tooling. It also has graphics that tie back to Kyrie's Native American roots.

Anta says in a release that the shape of the shoe is " meant to look aerodynamic to portray Kyrie's unorthodox maneuvers and transitioning while on the court."

Irving says in the announcement, "As Chief Creative Officer and a player, I've woven the essence of my heritage and my heart for basketball into the design of ANTA KAI 1. This is more than a shoe; it embodies our ancestors' strength and the future we're building. Every detail, from the hieroglyphics to the aerodynamic shape, tells the story of where we've been and where we're going. Join me in stepping into this new chapter."

The will retail for $125 in sizes 8 to 15. Here's a closer look at the shoe from Jacques Slade on YouTube. Slade says they created an entire alphabet for the shoe which is not something we have heard of before for footwear.