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Kyrie Irving had a troubling 2022/23 season. The point guard was plagued by controversy because of his Instagram post back in December, causing an end to his business association with Nike. After a chaotic trade from the Nets, the Dallas Mavericks crashed out of the title race in poor fashion due to their mediocre performance. The tides are, however, turning for Irving after another sportswear giant is showing interest in collaborating with the Mavs star.

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Kyrie’s deal with Nike came to a dramatic end, because of his socio-political opinions. Amidst heavy trade rumors surrounding the Mavs guard, who is a free agent for next season, a Chinese company is now looking to get him on board for a collaboration project.

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Kyrie Irving could sign with the Chinese shoe manufacturer

Irving used to be a Nike athlete, which is often seen as a prestigious thing. His contract with the giant corporation was about to end in October of 2023. However, one post by Irving on his social media, tempted the company to cut ties before time. Nike announced, “Kyrie Irving is no longer a Nike athlete,” in response to his allegedly anti-Semitic social media post. The 2016 NBA champion had posted a link to the film, Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America on his social media profile.

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USA Today via Reuters

In what was an obvious business move, Nike cut ties with the star athlete. Although things didn’t end on a sour note as Kyrie’s team said “We mutually decided to part ways and we just wish Nike all the best.” Whatever the inside scoop might be, the 8x NBA All-Star faced a massive financial blow after the deal fell off. The star had to issue a public apology for his actions. At that time, rapper Ye was also being criticized for his anti-sematic comments. Amidst the wave that the superstar musician had created, Irving’s post added fuel to the controversy.

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Although he ended up damaging his fortune at the time, Irving has a massive opportunity awaiting.

Read More: Billionaire Mark Cuban, Who Burnt Through $198,000,000 to Get Kyrie Irving, Has a Major LeBron James Update

As per reports, the Chinese sports corporation Anta is interested in getting him on board. They are famous for their shoes and NBA star Klay Thompson is often seen wearing them. Even though there is no final deal yet, Irving’s association with the brand can be helpful for both parties. Irving had even hinted at a forthcoming shoe deal on his social media. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds, as Anta is showing ‘heavy’ interest, and looks like a promising deal for Irving.

Watch This Story: Huge Kyrie Irving Trade Shock May Light Up LeBron James? World as Lakers World Enters Unfathomable Fantasy Mode

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Prateek Singh

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Prateek Singh is a senior NBA writer for EssentiallySports, known for his insightful coverage of the league. With a deep passion for basketball fueled by the late Kobe Bryant's championship runs, Prateek has built his writing career on astute analysis and a firm understanding of the game. His area of expertise lies in breaking down trade reports and their implications for fans. His heartwarming coverage of tributes to NBA legend Magic Johnson’s father after his passing saw very high ratios of fan engagement. While this serves as a step closer to him writing a biography on his idol Kobe Bryant, for now, his focus is on delivering trustworthy coverage of the league he loves.

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Jayant Chhabra

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