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Kyrie Irving Makes Drew League History in ANTA Sneakers

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving made his epic Drew League debut in ANTA sneakers.

Pat Benson

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It was only a matter of time before Uncle Drew made his debut in the Drew League. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving made the pilgrimage to the legendary Compton, California, Pro-Am basketball tournament on Saturday and did not disappoint.

The timing could not have been better. After dealing with the most tumultuous stretch of his professional career, Irving recently inked a contract extension with Dallas and signed a multi-year sneaker deal with ANTA.

Irving's five-year sneaker deal includes a signature line and makes him the Chief Creative Officer of ANTA. Since making the announcement earlier this month, the new face of ANTA Basketball has wasted no time putting his sponsor on the map.

Irving became the first NBA player to tally a triple-double in a Drew League game. While athletes and fans eagerly await Irving's first signature sneaker to drop, the 8x NBA All-Star wore the ANTA Shock Wave 5. Below is what fans need to know about the Chinese hoop shoes.

ANTA Shock Wave 5

Kyrie Irving ties his sneakers before a Drew League basketball game.
Kyrie Irving ties his ANTA basketball shoes / Drew League

Irving soft-launched the announcement of his deal with ANTA by wearing the brand's shoes during his annual summer camp. Every time we have seen Irving on the court this summer, he has worn the ANTA Shock Wave 5 basketball shoes.

Most sneakerheads in North America will have a tough time finding ANTA in their local stores. Luckily, KICKS CREW has the widest selection of the ANTA Shock Wave 5 and plenty of other hard-to-find shoes.

The ANTA Shock Wave 5 offers impressive technology at an affordable price. The low-cut model features a high-strength yarn woven upper, while Nitrogen technology is utilized in both the insole and full-length midsole. 

Lastly, the outer TPU support plate, forefoot TPU acceleration plate, arch TPU independent stabilizer, arch carbon fiber stabilizer plate, and upturned rubber outsole all work together for improved midsole stability.

Tell us your thoughts on Irving's deal and the hoop shoes he has worn this summer. Sound off at @FanNationKicks on Facebook and Twitter. As always, stay locked in for all of your daily sneaker news.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. 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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