Running the Mavericks’ backfield alongside Luka Doncic isn’t Kyrie Irving’s only job.

He is also Chief Creative Officer and runs the sneaker brand ANTA. Irving, who signed a five-year contract with ANTA in July 2023 after being fired by Nike in December 2022, was given the opportunity to recruit others to serve as CCO for the company.

In a story by Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Irving detailed some of his goals for the brand as he aims for a “multi-generational platform.”

Irving’s shoes with ANTA turned heads in the 2023-24 season, especially during the NBA playoffs when he wore special moccasin ANTA shoes as a tribute to his Native American heritage.

In June, Irving made history by enlisting his father, Drederick Irving, for his ANTA shoe collection. It was the first time in professional sports that a player signed his father to a signature shoe contract.

“My father’s commitment is aimed at those over 55 years old. “That means you’re never too old to continue playing basketball or to love going out and staying active, playing basketball or being with the youth,” Irving said in the press release story. “And in order for me to continue the legacy of a shoe brand that has been growing up with children for 14 years, I now have a great pillar in the culture that I want to take care of.

“I describe my shoe brand as my shopping mall. Anyone can come to my mall. It’s a collaborative mall and I want people to have a great experience, not just because they buy my product, but because they are part of something.”

Drederick Irving played basketball at Boston University before beginning a professional career in Australia, where Kyrie was born.

“My dad was my first senior athlete because not only did I feel like it was time to hand it to him or pay him back for all the sacrifices, but I wanted to make history with him and I wanted him to do that able to leave a legacy that goes beyond simply investing his time in me or my sisters,” Irving said.

The 13-year NBA veteran also said that he recently signed a shoe contract with Caris LeVert, his first female NBA player, which is an important step in strengthening ANTA’s credibility in the American basketball shoe market. According to Jing Daily, ANTA is not short of cash as the company reported $4.7 billion in revenue from January 2024 to June 2024.

“This is a startup company in America,” Irving said. “Anta is a startup. It’s not a startup in China. So we’re trying to compete with some of the bigger juggernauts. It’s one of the hardest things you can do. So you need people who are thorough, morally strong, have great integrity, have great families and also love what they do.”

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