Kyrie Irving gets a rousing welcome in China as he arrives for highly anticipated Anta event

Dallas Mavericks star point guard Kyrie Irving is widely regarded as one of the most mercurial players in the NBA. However, Irving is still one of the league’s most popular players worldwide. The star’s popularity was recently put on display during his trip to China for a highly anticipated Anta event.

Irving signed a signature shoe deal with the Chinese sportswear company in July, following his departure from Nike. As part of his deal, he was also appointed the chief creative officer of the brand, increasing anticipation for his arrival in China.

Upon his arrival for the Anta promotional event, Irving was greeted with a rousing welcome from fans. This came as he was instantly swarmed at the airport in Xiamen before participating on-stage in the event. Check out some of the photos below:

Kyrie Irving on his decision to sign with Anta

Dallas Mavericks star point guard Kyrie Irving

After signing with Anta in July, Kyrie Irving spoke about the decision on Twitter, highlighting his desire to revolutionize the footwear industry:

“As Chief Creative Ofiicer, I will push our teams domestically and internationally to unite like-minded trailblazers who have the vision to create and build their craft to transcend the footwear/apparel industry for generations to come,” Irving tweeted.

“This is truly a full circle moment that I will not take for granted nor underappreciate given the many obstacles it took to get here. This partnership is for all of those who want to change the world. Join me on the journey. This is #Biggerthanashoedeal.”

Irving also released a statement where he spoke about how his and Anta’s creative visions and values were aligned:

“I'm incredibly excited about this collaboration,” Irving said. “The first step in becoming partners is to share the same dreams, goals, and missions. ANTA's rapid development over the years, openness to creativity, willingness to embrace family and teamwork, and expertise in areas like product innovation and manufacturing processes have left a remarkable impression on not just me, but also my A11Even team who will work side by side with me in creating something truly generationally special."

Irving added that being Anta’s chief creative officer represented the best opportunity for him to put his ideas into action:

“Being appointed as ANTA Basketball's chief creative officer is more than just a realization of my dreams; in fact, it may be the perfect opportunity for me,” Irving said.

“An individual who always dreams big and values independent thinking, to leverage my artistic talents to build, create, and unify the culture both on and off the court,” Irving added.

Per Boardroom, the duration of Irving’s shoe deal with the company is five years, with his first signature shoe expected to be released in early 2024. Until then, Irving is expected to wear the Anta Shock Wave 5s to start the 2023-24 NBA season.