The Chinese sportswear company continues to build its roster since its NBA debut in 2007
Anta is the rising sportswear brand to watch and if the company isn’t already on your radar, the upcoming NBA season is sure to change that.
This is one of the most pivotal moments in Anta’s history as the company first started with running shoes back in 1991 before eventually expanding into sportswear, lifestyle sneakers, basketball shoes and more.
A new era is under way at Anta as the Chinese sportswear company is officially under the direction of their new Chief Creative Officer of Basketball, Kyrie Irving.
The Dallas Mavericks point guard signed with Anta in July 2023 after splitting with Nike in December 2022.
As the 2022-23 NBA season tips off, all eyes are sure to be on Anta and Irving as the partners prepare to take over with a new Kyrie signature shoe and new “Enlightened Warrior” logo, which the world already got glimpse of as Anta painted murals in major cities across the country.
New athletes are also a part of the game plan as Irving will have the opportunity to recruit new talent for Anta’s growing roster.
Currently, Anta’s list of basketball athletes includes Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, Kevon Looney, Daniel Gafford, Precious Achiuwa, and of course, Irving.
Anta’s NBA debut came by way of Luis Scola, who signed in 2007. Scola had his own signature model, the Anta LS1, which allowed Anta to stake a claim in the west and garner new endorsers.
In 2010, Kevin Garnett became the second NBA player to sign with Anta, signifying that the brand was here to stay in the United States. Over the years, Anta’s roster has included names like Rajon Rondo, Alex Caruso, Terance Mann, James Wiseman, and more.
It was rumored that Utah Jazz point guard Jordan Clarkson would exclusively wear Anta this upcoming season after signing with the company ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but fans quickly noticed that Clarkson wore Anta sneakers for only three games before switching back to Nike.
Anta’s presence still remains strong as Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward and now Kyrie Irving gear up to play in their signature Anta models throughout the 2023-24 NBA season.
Learn more about every current NBA athlete signed to Anta below.
Klay Thompson
For nearly a decade, Klay Thompson has been working side-by-side with Anta as the Golden State Warriors shooting guard first launched his signature shoe with the brand in 2015.
Klay Thompson’s signature series consists of eight different models and is Anta’s most popular basketball sneaker by far. Together, they’ve sold over 650,000 pairs of Anta KT shoes and the partners show no signs of slowing down.
The Anta KT8 is Thompson’s latest model. It features a midfoot X-shaped anti-torsion piece, NITROEDGE insole, and SMART S.A.M shock-absorbing midsole complete with A-FLASHEDGE frame. The midsole also uses a full palm shovel-shaped 3D HUG carbon plate for enhanced stability.
Following the lucrative debut of his Anta KT signature shoe, Thompson signed a 10-year, $80 million extension in 2016.
While the Anta roster included some notable players before Thompson, namely Luis Scola and Kevin Garnett, Thompson’s addition to the team undoubtedly changed the game for Anta as his signature series has been the most successful thus far.
Since signing with Anta, Thompson has secured four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors while wearing his Anta KT sneakers, providing heightened visibility for the brand and ultimately making a name for Anta throughout North America.
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Hayward signed with the brand in 2018 and has four signature models with Anta. Like his fellow Anta counterparts Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, Hayward was previously with Nike before joining Anta.
In December 2022, Hayward signed a 5-year, multi-million dollar extension to his initial four-year, $9 million contract. Alongside Thompson, the Charlotte Hornets small forward will get to continue his signature Anta line.
Anta and Hayward have released four signature models, with the Anta GH4 releasing in early Spring 2023.
The sneaker uses a full-length NITROEDGE midsole with four webbing traction lines running through the shoe’s body. The cushioning and rebound performance is supported with heel EVA structure and Smart S.A.M system. The Anta GH4 is Hayward’s lightest model yet as the weight of the upper is 22% lower than the Anta GH3.
The texture and wrapping properties on the Anta GH4 has also been improved with lateral anti-slip ability increased by 16% and the rebound ability of the forefoot increased by 7%. Paired together, the Anta GH4 is able to provide stronger technical support for rapid direction changes and overall speed on the court.
To unveil the Anta GH4, Hayward pulled up to the Shanghai Porsche Experience Center with Xu Yang, CEO of Anta Professional Sports Group, to host a press conference for the new supercar-inspired sneaker.
Throughout Asia, Hayward has been well received. He shared his first experience in China on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “Unbelievable love from fans. Unveiling the Anta GH1. Seeing the Forbidden City. My first trip to China was something I’ll never forget.”
Kevon Looney
In addition to Klay Thompson, Anta also secured another Golden State Warrior with Kevon Looney joining Anta in 2019.
“The most important thing about a shoe is comfortability, and also being able to last throughout the game and take care of your feet,” Looney told NBC Sports Bay Area. “I feel Anta does the best job of that.”
When Looney first came on board, he played in the Anta KT5, but has since hit the hardwood in a variety of Anta models including the Anta Shock Wave 4 Pro and Klay Thompson’s latest Anta KT8, which he’s had the most playtime in.
Before Anta, Looney was with Adidas for four seasons and made the decision to switch after trying on Klay Thompson’s personal pair of Anta sneakers.
“When I got a chance to wear Klay’s shoes, it was dope,” Looney continued. “I’ve been watching his growth. I told him I believe I can wear them better than he can.”
Looney doesn’t have any signature model with Anta, but he proudly reps the brand season after season.
“Also, I like to wear crazy colorways,” said Looney. “Anta has been doing a great job with new colors and creating funky designs. That’s something I was looking for. I saw all the design options they had, and I was ready to sign up.”
Daniel Gafford
Washington Wizards center Daniel Gafford signed with Anta during the 2021-22 NBA season after predominantly wearing Nike early on in his career.
Since signing with Anta, Gafford has played in numerous Anta models including different iterations of Klay Thompson’s signature series and the Anta Badao 2.0, which he scored his career high in.
The Anta Badao 2.0 uses lightweight TPU and MARSFOAM enhanced with Anta’s SMART S.A.M intelligent system for improved stability and shock absorption.
Towards the end of the 2022-23 NBA season, Gafford wore the Anta Z-Up 1 and the Anta Shock Wave 4 Pro, so it’s likely that he’ll be playing in the new Anta Shock Wave 5 Pro that Kyrie Irving debuted this summer in China.
Precious Achiuwa
In 2021, Precious Achiuwa left Nike to sign a multi-year shoe deal with Anta. Alongside Daniel Gafford, Achiuwa was selected to help usher in Anta’s Project Z-Up shoe series.
Achiuwa delivered on his promise and played in the Anta Z-Up 1, which uses a HARNESS LINE system, carbon fiber torsion resistant sheet, plus arc nylon sheet, full palm Nirospeed tech midsole, and Water ripple outsole for enhanced traction.
Amongst all the Anta performance basketball shoes, it seems that Klay Thompson’s signature series ranks high on Achiuwa’s list, but the Anta Daringly 3.0 is undoubtedly his favorite as he’s played the most games in this model.
The Anta Daringly 3.0 also uses Nitrospeed tech for high energy return and a lateral TPU wing in the forefoot for supportive stability. The sneaker is crafted with lightweight durable mesh and includes an anti-torsion sheet for extra functionality.
Achiuwa is in a unique position as his addition to the Anta roster expands the brand’s presence to Canada, as well as his home country of Nigeria. The Toronto Raptors power forward could even have the Klay Thompson effect and influence his teammates to join the Anta movement.
Kyrie Irving
In July 2023, Kyrie Irving and Anta made headlines as they announced that the Dallas Mavericks point guard would be the brand’s newest signature athlete, as well as the Chief Creative Officer of Anta Basketball.
Irving’s decision to join Anta was prompted by a public feud between him and former sponsor, Nike, who terminated his contract in December 2022 after Irving shared an anti-semitic film on his Instagram story in October 2022. Irving also called his Nike Kyrie Infinity “trash.”
Irving’s signature Anta sneaker is still in the works, but the Anta Shock Wave 5 Pro “Debut” is his first official Anta collab and has already released in Asia. Throughout the summer, Irving played in the Shock Wave 5 Pro and even made history in the shoe as he became the first NBA player to tally a triple-double in a Drew League game.
It’s too soon to tell, but Irving’s exit from Nike could be a big blow for the Swoosh. Nike still remains the world’s most popular shoe brand, but Irving’s signature line was a bestseller for the company, reaching up to $375 million in annual revenue, per Boardroom. Irving released eight signature sneakers with Nike and was gearing up to debut his ninth signature model, the Nike Kyrie 8, before his contract was terminated.
Irving commented on his success at Nike saying, “My signature line made the previous brand I was with over 2.6 billion in revenue the past 7 years. I can safely say, I am one of them ones out here in the competitive shoe market, dominating.”
The financial details of Irving’s Anta deal have not been publicly disclosed, but considering Irving had been estimated to make $11 million per year at Nike, the Anta deal is surely a multi-million dollar figure.
Not only will Irving be releasing his own signature shoe with Anta, but he will also be recruiting new athletes and curating a roster of collaborators as the Chief Creative Officer of Anta Basketball.
Irving has proved to be a risk-taker with a will to express himself at any cost. With this in mind, his time at Anta is sure to be a rebellious era that could push the brand, considering his ability to pull people in.
The guard boasted an impressive catalog of silhouettes and colorways from Nike days, and if he’s able to bring this level of creativity to Anta, the partnership could be Anta’s new bestseller.
Donte DiVincenzo
Donte DiVincenzo is the latest athlete to join Anta’s NBA roster. The New York Knicks shooting guard will be highlighting Anta’s upcoming ZAP 1 sneaker line and will receive his own player-exclusive colorways. Since being drafted in 2018, DiVincenzo has predominantly worn Nike, but switched to Puma during the second half of the 2022-23 NBA season.
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