Credit: Twitter
Kyrie Irving, the point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, has agreed to a five-year endorsement contract with Chinese sportswear company ANTA and will serve as the company's new Chief Creative Officer. Irving will be able to hire and sign players and other team members thanks to the agreement, which was arranged by Irving's management firm A11Even. It will also enable him to introduce manufacturing to the US.
Irving stated that his own signature brand with Nike brought in $2.6 billion in sales over the previous seven years before being fired by the company in December of last year due to an anti-Semitism issue. ANTA, according to insiders in the sector, is paying him $150 million under the terms of his new contract.
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ANTA, which Irving complimented for its openness to creativity, readiness to value family and teamwork, and proficiency in product invention and production processes, expressed excitement about the relationship with Irving and said he was looking forward to it. He also declared that he will start ANTA x KYRIE Youth Basketball Camps all around the world, with China and the US anticipated to host the first events.
In the first quarter of 2024, Irving's first ANTA-branded signature sneaker is anticipated to go on sale. He joins a group of NBA players, including Klay Thompson of the Warriors, who wear ANTA footwear.
Irving, 31, is an eight-time All-Star who also won the championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The former Celtics guard signed a free-agent contract with the Brooklyn Nets on July 7, 2019. He became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points or more in a team debut on October 23, 2019, when he made his debut for the Brooklyn Nets. On February 6, 2023, the Nets dealt Markieff Morris and Irving to the Dallas Mavericks
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The brilliant ball-handling prowess, clutch shooting, and outspoken demeanor of Irving are well-known. He has also been embroiled in a number of issues, including those involving his denial of the Earth's shape, his refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and his promotion of conspiracies. He declared that he wants to use his position to raise consciousness and spur beneficial change.
