Kyrie Irving’s ANTA vs LeBron James’ Nike: Is Mavericks Star’s New Deal With Chinese Brand Much Better Than Billionaire Buddy’s “Lifetime” Contract?

Having a signature sneaker line is a massive achievement in the NBA. Probably the most famous and popular shoe brand is Michael Jordan’s Jordan Brand and its signature shoes. 4-time NBA champion, LeBron James also has his own signature shoes from Nike. In 2003, he signed a 7-year deal worth $90 million. Then, in 2015, he signed a lifetime contract with Nike, which is worth approximately $1 billion. Recently, James’ former teammate Kyrie Irving also signed a massive shoe deal. And the said deal can easily compete with the 38-year-old’s lifetime Nike contract. 

It is worth noting that Nike dropped Irving for his controversial statements last year. After that, he decided to join a Chinese brand, ANTA on a five-year deal. Could this deal surpass James’ lifetime Nike deal?

Kyrie Irving could compete with LeBron James after the latest shoe deal with ANTA

Irving not only signed a signature shoe deal with ANTA, but he also joined the Chinese company as Chief Creative Officer. As a result, he could fetch a massive amount of money from the contract. 

In 2012, former Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade shocked everyone, as he left Jordan Brand and signed an 8-year $10 million contract with Chinese shoe brand Li-Ning. At that time, it was a massive deal in the NBA. Later in 2018, Wade signed a lifetime contract with Li-Ning. Although it’s not as big as James’ Nike deal, the former Heat player will still earn a massive amount of money in the future. 

Read More: “Let the Party Begin”: Millionaire Kyrie Irving, Who Lost $17 Million Revenue Stream, Breaks Silence on Cutting Ties With Nike

Similarly, Irving could also rake in millions of dollars from his signature shoes and as Chief Creative Officer. Notably, Irving was with Nike for seven years; he claimed that the giant shoe brand made around $2.6 billion from his products. If Irving signs a lifetime contract with ANTA, as James and Wade did with their respective brands, he certainly has a chance to topple James’ Nike contract.

Irving opens up about his new shoe deal

After signing a lucrative deal with ANTA, Irving took to Twitter and expressed his excitement. He said, “As Chief Creative Officer, 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.”

“This is truly a full circle moment that I will not take for granted nor under appreciate given the many obstacles it took to get here. This Partnership is for all of those who want to change the world”, the Dallas Mavericks player further added.

Irving, who recently signed a 3-year $126 million contract with the Mavericks, will wear ANTA’s Shock Wave 5 sneaker in the new season. As per Boardroom, they will release his first signature sneakers in 2024. 

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What do you think of Irving’s shoe deal with ANTA? Let us know in the comments.