Kyrie Irving finally took the court for the first time in the 2024-2025 NBA season last night, and of course, he stepped out rocking his signature ANTA sneaker, the ANTA Kai 1. While multiple colorways of his first signature sneaker, including the new ANTA Kai 1 Speed, are on the way, the pair Irving decided to bust out for the season's first game is a custom 1-of-1 pair created in partnership with The Shoe Surgeon.
The relationship between Dominic Ciambrone (aka The Shoe Surgeon) and Kyrie is strong, as during Kyrie’s recent tour in China, he debuted his new fashion line with ANTA that had 1-of-1 custom pieces created by Dom. These unique 1-of-1s continue with this Kai 1, which features shades of jade, green, blue, navy, and multi-color hits. We see a green mesh on the base, accented by the jade overlays across the upper. For the lockdown strap, The Shoe Surgeon added a custom Kai typeface that spells out the names of Kyrie’s mom and dad, Elizabeth and Dred. Multi-color laces rest below this strap and run to the red Kai logo on the tongue's top. Final details for this custom include a gradient foam midsole from navy to green, Kyrie and The Shoe Surgeon branding on the heel, and a metallic silver shank on the midfoot.
Unfortunately for the public, the pair will remain exclusive to Kyrie as it’s a 1-of-1 custom. Maybe this pair will help inspire a future colorway of the Kai 1 that the public can get, but in the meantime, check below for a detailed image of the sneaker. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Images via ANTA
Image via The Shoe Surgeon
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
