Kyrie Irving Debuts 'Duke Blue Devils' Sneakers in China

Kyrie Irving previewed the ANTA KAI 1 "Duke Blue Devils" colorway.

May 11, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) warms up before game three of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The NBA season is right around the corner, but Kyrie Irving has business to attend to first. The Dallas Mavericks guard is currently touring China as part of his duties as the Chief Creative Officer of ANTA Basketball.

Basketball fans have tried to get near Irving as he walks the streets. However, a lucky few fans and media members were invited to ANTA headquarters for a sneak peek at some of Irving's upcoming lifestyle and basketball shoes.

Irving showed off a dazzling array of colorways for his first lifestyle shoe, the ANTA KAI Tribe. Even better, Irving previewed his first basketball shoe, the ANTA KAI 1, in a Duke Blue Devils colorway.

Of course, Irving's one season of college basketball was cut short due to an injury. However, his time with Coach Mike Krzyzewski in Durham helped shape the athlete and businessman.

Below is a detailed look and breakdown of what athletes and fans must know about Irving's Duke-inspired basketball shoes.

First look at the ANTA KAI 1 inspired by Kyrie Irving’s time with the Duke Bluedevils 🔵 pic.twitter.com/irCzXxZGHY

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) September 19, 2024

In Nice Kick's social media post above, we can see the left shoe sports a white upper with blue detailing and black accents. The right shoe sports a black upper with blue detailing and white accents. Irving's signature logo and jersey number (11) are white on both shoes.

Currently, there is no official release information for the 'Duke' colorway. If the collegiate colorway eventually hits shelves, it will undoubtedly have a different name as Duke is a Nike-sponsored school.

While online shoppers patiently await more information on Irving's blue and black sneakers, they should have no trouble finding other colorways online. ANTA, KICKS CREW, and popular sneaker resale platforms like GOAT and StockX all have Irving's basketball shoes.

It has been over a year since Irving signed a 5-year sneaker deal with ANTA, and the partnership has been a major success for both parties. The Chinese company has empowered Irving to make moves in the sneaker industry, and he has elevated the brand to new heights.

With the NBA season tipping off soon, fans can expect Irving to make more noise in the basketball and sneaker world. Fans can count on Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all their footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

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