Kyrie Irving’s Anta deal has already produced a number of personalized signature sneakers for the Dallas Mavericks star and now, the brand has released a new PE paying homage to his late mentor, Kobe Bryant.
Available now through the Chinese sportswear company’s e-commerce store, anta.com, is the Shockwave 5 Pro “Agility” Kyrie PE. Although it isn’t Irving’s signature model — that distinction belongs to the Anta Kai 1 — special colorways of the Shockwave 5 Pro were worn by the star prior to receiving his own shoe, and it looks like that will continue with this “Agility” colorway.
To achieve the Bryant-inspired theme, Anta has covered the Shockwave 5 Pro in a mostly purple-and-gold color scheme. And on the midsole’s TPU support wing, a snake scale texture has been added to represent the Black Mamba. There are also subtle details referencing Bryant’s jersey number, 24, and his five NBA championship rings.
It’s worth noting that on the Shockwave 5 Pro “Agility” Kyrie PE’s product page, Bryant’s name is not mentioned outright; he is instead referred to only as Irving’s idol. However, the brand’s Instagram account was more explicit, plainly stating that the shoe was inspired by Bryant.
Irving’s five-year Anta deal was announced in July 2023. In addition to his own line, he represents the company as chief creative officer of basketball. His Kai 1 signature sneaker debuted in February. Prior to that, Irving was aligned with Nike, receiving eight signature models with the brand before it parted ways with him following a controversial social media post.
Fans of this Anta Shockwave 5 Pro “Agility” Kyrie PE won’t need to wait for a chance to pick the shoes up. The sneakers are available now from anta.com at a retail price of $165, but some sizes are already selling out.
