NBA Star Kyrie Irving Debuts New Native-Inspired Sneakers On Court

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By Kaili Berg

May 29, 2024

Kyrie Irving (Lakota), star point guard for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, wore a unique iteration of his Anta Kai 1 sneakers during the Mavericks’ Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals on the 22nd. may.

For the match, Irving laced up his latest signature sneaker, the Anta Kai 1 “Chief Hélà,” a special edition created in collaboration with Chinese athletic brand Anta Sports.

The moccasin-inspired sneaker is adorned with suede pom-poms and features a tonal brown color scheme, with additional pom-poms hanging from the collar. A honey yellow sole completes the design, paying homage to Irving’s Native American heritage.

This This isn’t the first time Irving has mixed his heritage with his sports gear. He wore a similar pair of bangs of Nike Kyrie 8 during the 2023 All-Star Game, in part to hide the Nike logo after the brand removed it from its roster following comments perceived as anti-Semitic.

Irving’s mother, Elizabeth Larson, was a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and lived on the reservation before being adopted by a family of Lutheran ministers. His grandparents and great-grandparents were also from the Standing Rock Reservation.

Irving first publicly acknowledged his connection to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe during a Christmas 2016 interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. Before this, most tribe members were unaware of his affiliation, as Irving had not grown up on the reservation and had never publicly disclosed his affiliation. relationship.

In 2018, he made his first visit to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, a visit that was more about honoring his mother and connecting with her heritage. The visit is prohibited in video or photographyaiming to deepen his understanding of his Native American culture and honor his late mother.

Irving didn’t know his mother well. His parents separated when he was a child, and his mother died when Irving was only four years old.

During his visit to the Standing Rock Reservation, Irving was honored with a naming ceremony, an important tradition in Lakota culture. Irving was given the name “Little Mountain” or “Helà” in the Lakota language, which reflects his family’s White Mountain lineage from the South Dakota portion of the Standing Rock Reservation.

“There was a moment in my life when I had almost reached a crossroads with my father, my sister, my friends, My grandparents, and I didn’t know which direction to go because I had lost the sense of a foundation,” Irving said in an interview with ESPN in 2018. “Knowing that my mother passed away and left me such a powerful and empowering family like Standing Rock…to be a part of it now, it’s a family for life.”

During his career, Irving help the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, sending them millions of dollars in aid to fight COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic.

In August 2021, Irving revisited the Standing Rock Sioux Nation to formalize his affiliation with the tribe and register as a member.

As reported KFYR TV, Irving’s application for registration received approval from the Tribal Council and Standing Rock Lakota/Dakota Tribal Headquarters administration. This approval officially recognized Irving as a Native American. To commemorate his tribal enrollment, he received a star quilt.

THE Anta Kai 1, Irving’s first signature sneaker from the Chinese brand, debuted in March of this year. Six colorways have been released so farall sold out, with many designs inspired by Irving’s Native American ancestry.

He signed with the Chinese brand in July 2023following his departure from Nikejoining fellow NBA players Spencer Dinwiddie of the Los Angeles Lakers, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and Gordon Hayward of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Anta Kai 1 “Chief Hélà” is expected to be released generally later this summer.with a the retail price is expected to be $125.

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