“Wear these shoes, and you’ll shoot better than Stephen Curry!” So much confidence Klay Thompson had in his Anta sneakers that he was able to even put their worth on a higher pedestal than that of his Splash Brother. With the trend having been popularized by Michael Jordan’s ‘Air Jordan’, today’s NBA fans know the worth of a player by judging whether they have their very own signature sneaker line. For Klay Thompson, his partnership with Anta has resulted in the creation of several exceptional products, most of which were hard to find just two years ago. Now, however, the brand is looking to keep the past in the past by celebrating the player’s recent transfer to the Dallas Mavericks!

Earlier today, ESPN and Boardroom host Nick DePaula highlighted Klay Thompson’s upcoming shoe with Anta through his official X account. With the player’s signature highlighted at the bottom of the white ‘butt sole’, KTX written on the behind, and a ‘K’ highlighted on the mid-sole, there was no mistaking under whose name the shoe was manufactured. From a first glance, fans knew that the latest product is complimenting the player’s shift, as it carried a distinguishable blue colorway. While previous versions of the ‘ANTA KT’ have also come in different colorways, ranging from ‘Panama Breeze’ to ‘Clay’, the fact that blue was adopted for the very first version of the ‘ANTA KT 10’ speaks volumes.

The reveal of Thompson’s 10 signature shoe comes just two years after Thompson returned to the NBA after a long hiatus. He had been absent for the entirety of the 2019-20 season after undergoing surgery on his torn ACL, and then the 2020-21 season as well due to an Achilles tendon injury. When he was back in January 2022, several members of the Warriors fraternity celebrated the return by donning Thompson’s No. 11 jersey. Despite suffering from an injury, Draymond Green even joined the main lineup till the tip-off just so that he could be with his teammate.

Amidst all of these celebratory moments, however, Anta did not use the opportunity to make a shoe-drop or even a related announcement. Furthermore, the Chinese brand did not choose to mark Thompson’s return to the basketball court in any manner! Compared with how Nike designers kept working on the Air Jordan X even after His Airness’s retirement in 1993 and were prepared with prototypes of even XI when Jordan returned to the court, the snub by Anta Sports was quite noticeable.

Despite what happened, Anta Sports has now ensured that the player has a signature shoe that may very well stand out when Thompson makes his Dallas Mavericks debut, possibly, on the 7 of October. After all, given its long history, the last thing that the brand would want to do is leave its sponsor hanging during uncertain times.

What is Klay Thompson’s history with Anta?

The former Golden State Warriors player had been wearing Nike Sneakers since his debut season. However, he transitioned to ANTA in 2014. The move caused some eyebrows to be raised, as Klay Thompson could also have aligned with Adidas, instead of a Chinese Brand, if he was looking to make a change. However, he had not made the decision on a whim, revealing “I knew with Anta, I would have so much input creatively. I was going to hopefully be the Michael Jordan one day of Anta. That really resonated with me, and knowing that I could be really big in China, that was really cool to me. The shoe market sometimes is overflooded in the States, and I thought, ‘Well, why not branch out and be global?’”

On top of that, Anta already had a field of athletes endorsing it, which included Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, and Luis Scola. If Stephen Curry can take a risk and align himself with a lesser-known brand, then why can’t his teammate?

Upon initially joining, Thompson was just signed under an annual $2 million. After the success of the first two versions of ‘ANTA KT’, the deal was renegotiated to a 10-year, $80 million extension. As he expected, the player’s opinions were fully considered in the making of his shoes, as seen from the Captain America and Iron Man logos present on the ANTA KT 3, and a version of the KT4 made with a newspaper-style print. Despite being reportedly priced $179.99 in the US and $390 in China, the latter shoes were sold at a rapid rate, showcasing just how much hype the player carries.

As Klay Thompson begins a new chapter through his new team, it is good to have some old allies alongside him for the journey. If Thompson was willing to state to boxing legend Manny Pacquiao that his shoes would allow him to shoot better than Stephen Curry, then the player himself will be needing them when going against his former teammate.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.