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Did Kyrie Irving Just Debut His 2nd Signature Sneaker?

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving played in unreleased ANTA basketball shoes.

Pat Benson

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving debuted unreleased ANTA basketball shoes against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving debuted unreleased ANTA basketball shoes against the Oklahoma City Thunder. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 118-104 on Tuesday night. However, the night was not a total loss for Mavericks fans. Kyrie Irving scored 17 points and debuted unreleased basketball shoes.

Earlier this week, Irving piqued the interest of sneakerheads when he wore never-before-seen sneakers in all-black colorways during a Mavericks practice. Last night, the NBA All-Star officially debuted the kicks during a game.

Naturally, athletes and fans want to know if Irving just debuted his highly-anticipated second signature sneaker with the ANTA. Since partnering with the Chinese sportswear brand, Irving has launched a signature sneaker line and lifestyle models.

According to the news outlet Sole Retriever, ANTA released the following statement on Irving's unreleased kicks: "Kyrie Irving is the ANTA Chief Creative Officer. He is constantly testing innovations and products."

During last season, Irving regularly used NBA games as opportunities to test unreleased performance models on the court. This could be a prototype or it could be a soft launch of Irving's sophomore sneaker with ANTA.

While it is difficult to see the details on the all-black silhouette, there are actually plenty of details that make it look like one of Irving's sneakers: the designs on the upper, the aggressive traction pattern, and his signature on the midsole.

As always, Irving will officially announce his second signature sneaker with ANTA when he feels the time is right—the 32-year-old moves at his own pace on and off the basketball court.

After a messy breakup with Nike in 2022, Irving did the unthinkable by launching a massively successful partnership with ANTA. His debut hoop shoe was a smash hit in the hoops world. The ANTA KAI 1 launched in February 2024, and eventually released in dozens of colorways.

While we patiently await news of Irving's second signature sneaker, online shoppers can find his first basketball shoe at ANTA, Foot Locker, KICKS CREW, and sneaker resale websites. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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