KYRIE Irving recently visited Jakarta as part of the ANTA World Tour 2026, and his role in the brand continues to be bigger than just being an endorser.
The Dallas Mavericks star is now in his third year as ANTA Basketball’s chief creative officer (CCO), wherein he has a lot to say in product design, including his latest shoe KAI 3.
And without a doubt, the 34-year-old Irving is taking this position very seriously.
“When I became CCO at ANTA, it was a transitional time for me,” he said in an interview with Southeast Asia-based reporters during his tour in Jakarta. “I wanted to be able to be part of a bigger brand that was going to respect my creativity, was going to respect who I am as a person, was going to respect my culture, was going to respect the same things that I respect as a person."
“Shoes are a passion of mine. Building inventory is a passion of mine, but connecting with communities around the world, my ‘tribe,’ means everything to me. So I don't take this position that I'm in lightly.”
The KAI line has enjoyed success since its debut, with the Chinese brand now getting aggressive in penetrating the U.S. with Irving at the forefront
But the CCO will also be the first to admit that nothing comes easy in designing and developing shoes.
“We’re still in the early stages. It's my third year with ANTA. It's crazy how fast time is going, but it's been a great journey thus far. There have been some mistakes along the way, but where we are now, we have a great inventory where we can use that as inspiration, continue to get better, continue to develop new designs,” he said.
Kyrie world tour
Aside from Jakarta, this year’s tour reached the Chinese cities of Shanghai, Chengdu, and Shenzhen and is then headed to the U.S., specifically in Las Vegas and New Jersey, before coming back to Asia with a stop in Macau in October.
Irving said he enjoys the interaction with fans - his ‘tribe’ as he fondly calls them – around the world, and this only boosts his desire to unleash more creativity.
“It's a privilege. I get a chance to impact people all around the world, and same thing with me. It's the reciprocity of love. Basketball is a passion. It's a connector. It breaks down language barriers. We get on the basketball court, people watch me play basketball, I watch them play basketball, and we leave with a great impact," he said.
“I enjoy being in this position. I enjoy traveling around the world, but ultimately, when I get to sit in front of people that I haven't met yet, and it's a mutual respect, that's what it's about. So, ANTA has given me a chance to be on this platform, to build it, continue to build the brand. I've got a chance to introduce my creativity to the rest of the world, and I utilize basketball as a vehicle, and I don't allow it to just use me.”
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