Kyrie Irving’s latest signature shoe carries a special meaning with a colorway dedicated to Kobe Bryant.
It’s no secret Kyrie Irving is a Kobe Bryant disciple.
His admiration for the late NBA great spilled over not only from his top-notch skills, but most importantly to his mentality.
As such, Irving is honoring Bryant’s legacy with a special colorway of his latest signature shoe.
Enter the ANTA KAI 3 “Mentality,” the latest release of his third signature sneaker with the Chinese brand.
ANTA Philippines allowed One Sports to take the KAI 3 'Mentality' for a spin before it was available on Philippine stores. Art by Mitzi Solano/One Sports
“The KAI 3 ‘Mentality’ is a tribute to Kobe Bryant,” Mikko Abello, ANTA Philippines’ marketing head, told members of the press and content creators during an exclusive launch at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan on Monday, Feb. 16.
From the box to the shoe itself, it is every bit an ode to the Black Mamba, who won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The KAI 3 "Mentality" also shares a striking resemblance in color choices to the sneaker that celebrated Bryant's fifth NBA title in 2010.
The shoe also features a dog tag adorned with a logo showing two snakes wrapped around each other, obviously a nod to Bryant’s alter ego.
Also emblazoned in the shoes upper are the names of the cities where Irving made an All-Star appearance, with the model being part of the NBA All-Star roll out.
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.