Kyrie Irving, the guard for the Dallas Mavericks, has always been highly engaged with his fans. He is often seen interacting with fans courtside and on social media. Recently, during a visit to China for the Asian Anta shoe brand tour, the 32-year-old was surrounded by enthusiastic fans.
In a viral video posted by Kyrie Center on X (formerly known as Twitter), Irving was seen casually walking shirtless on the street. The fans, excited by the presence of the Mavericks guard, started chanting “Kyrie Kyrie” as they followed him on the street.
The viral video caught the attention of the 2016 NBA champion, who opened up about the love he received from his fans. Irving reposted Kyrie Center’s post and added “Gratitude and Love” to appreciate the efforts made by the Chinese fans.
Anta Sports is a Chinese sports brand that is the world’s largest sports equipment company by revenue and the third-largest manufacturer of sporting goods overall, behind Nike and Adidas. Irving joined the Chinese brand in September 2023 and was named the Chief Creative Officer of Anta Basketball.
Irving, who recently performed a wild freestyle rap, had previously signed a shoe deal with Nike worth US$11 million, and his signature sneaker was the second best-selling sneaker in 2017 after LeBron James’ sneaker. However, that shoe contract with Nike was terminated due to promoting antisemitism.
Kyrie Irving’s Controversial Film Endorsement Shatters His Nike Deal
During the 2022-23 NBA season, Irving posted a link to an anti-Semitic film on X. Shortly after, Nike terminated their contract with the former Brooklyn Nets star despite the popularity of Irving’s fast-selling shoe. Nike released a statement expressing their opposition to hate speech and antisemitism.
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“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism. To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.” Nike said in a statement in 2022.
After completing the tour in China for the Anta shoe brand, Irving will return to the United States for the upcoming NBA season, which will start soon. The 32-year-old put forth his best efforts, leading the Mavericks to the NBA finals in the 2023-24 NBA season. However, they lost to the Boston Celtics in the finals. This time, Irving and star player Luka Doncic will be joined by Klay Thompson on the court. It will be fascinating for the fans to watch the trio.
