Stephen Curry laced up Kyrie Irving's new Anta signature shoe, sparking mutual admiration and fueling the brand's burgeoning momentum with a standout performance.
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving hasn't played a game since tearing his ACL last March. But his sneakers still found their way onto an NBA court — and Stephen Curry put them there.
During a late January matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks, Curry laced up the Anta KAI 3 "Chinese New Year" edition, becoming the first NBA player to wear Irving's third Anta signature shoe in game action. Irving, still working his way back from knee surgery, had not yet debuted the shoe himself. Curry made a point to handle that with care.
"There's nothing but mutual respect and admiration for what he's done in his career," Curry said after the game. "I reached out to him before tonight to make sure he was cool with me wearing his shoes. He hasn't been able to debut them yet, and he told me, 'The admiration goes both ways.'"
Curry backed the gesture with a strong performance, scoring 38 points in the KAI 3s that night and adding 23 more in his next outing in the shoe. For Irving, watching from the sideline with his rehab ongoing, the moment carried weight beyond marketing. It was one of the game's most decorated players choosing to wear his shoe voluntarily, without a contract requiring it.
Irving told Andscape he did not take that lightly.
"I'm grateful to Steph," Irving said. "He reached out to the brand himself since he's a sneaker free agent now. It was legendary. We've competed for years — two point guards, two different brands — sometimes aligned, sometimes not. But what we're building at Anta isn't just about the shoes. It's about community, too."
Irving signed with the Chinese sportswear company in July 2023 on a five-year deal that went beyond a standard endorsement arrangement. He was named chief creative officer of Anta Basketball, a role that gives him direct input on product design, brand collaborations and long-term strategy.
The KAI 3 retails for $135 and was released Jan. 17. Inspired by the peregrine falcon, the shoe features ventilated detailing and a nitrogen-infused foam midsole. Irving told Andscape the line has been a deliberate, patient build.
"I'm proud of how the KAI 3 came out," Irving said. "There were a lot of designs we passed on to get here. But the performance, the tech, the comfort, the storytelling — it all aligned. The KAI 1 and 2 were just the buildup. The KAI 3 moves us into the heart of what we're trying to do in basketball."
Curry's involvement adds a notable subplot. He parted ways with Under Armour in November and is currently without a sneaker endorsement deal — an unusual position for a two-time MVP and four-time NBA champion. No new agreement has been announced publicly. Anta already counts two prominent guards in its orbit: Irving as creative lead and Klay Thompson, who holds a lifetime signature deal with the brand.
Irving did not hide his interest in expanding that group.
"I'd love to have Steph on the brand," Irving said. "I'm just putting it out there — we've got the best product out there, the best brand."
During All-Star Weekend, Irving hosted "Antaland," an event in Beverly Hills tied to the opening of Anta's first U.S. flagship store.
Curry wearing the KAI 3s in late January only added to the momentum — a tangible sign of the brand's growing footprint in the basketball world, even during a season Irving has been forced to watch from the outside.