Kyrie Irving began his NBA season Thursday night with a special pair of his Anta sneakers customized by The Shoe Surgeon.
The Anta Kai 1s worn by Irving in the Dallas Mavericks’ season opener were dip-dyed and hand-painted by the renowned sneaker customizer rather than undergoing one of the more dramatic reconstructions The Shoe Surgeon is often known for. Shades of blue and green from the Mavericks’ throwback uniforms appear throughout the sneaker, including a gradient feature both on the midsole’s heel. The shoe’s midfoot strap was also given a new set of symbols to feature the name’s of Irving’s parents, Elizabeth and Dred, in his custom typography. The Shoe Surgeon‘s skull and sword logo appears on the heel pull, while Irving’s logo pops in red throughout the sneaker.
Since debuting in the spring, Irving’s first signature sneaker for Anta has been a major hit and has been joined by a number of other models. A simplified Anta Kai 1 Speed model debuted with a colorway designed by Irving’s father, while a “Chief Hélà” edition of the regular Kai 1 featuring moccasin-style fringe stands out as one of the more daring basketball sneakers to hit the NBA court. A skate shoe for Irving that will retail for $70 is also on the way to grow the line even further.
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The Shoe Surgeon, whose custom sneakers are regularly worn in the NBA and NFL in addition to other sports, is currently embroiled in his own conflict with Nike, which dropped Irving prior to him signing with Anta. The footwear giant filed a $60 million lawsuit against the customizer accusing him of trademark infringement, taking issue with his sales of custom Nike products at scale rather rather than one-offs, as well as his workshops. In a public response to the suit, The Shoe Surgeon said he was “confused” because he’s officially collaborated with the company in the past.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
