ANTA has done an amazing job building hype around Kyrie Irving’s first signature sneaker with the brand following the NBA star’s controversial divorce from Nike in 2022. Known online as the Kyrie Anta 1, but officially dubbed the ANTA KAI 1, Kyrie embarked on a promotional tour that saw him get mobbed by his fans in China. Locally, Filipino athletes were seen sporting the “Artist on Court” colorway ahead of its global release date. The Kyries had always been popular and profitable, and the move to ANTA was no different.
The ANTA KAI 1 debuted in the Philippines last March 10 exclusively at SM Megamall, and it was met with staples seen in hyped drops: long lines, people camping out, release-day winners, and disappointed faces. ANTA had a system in place; strictly one pair per customer, a queuing system for those arriving before the scheduled 10 am drop, and reportedly 100 pairs for sale. Still, there will inevitably be avid fans who will miss out on the highly-anticipated drop.
@zee.gaming1993 A sad experience with the release of Anta Kai 1 today. The resell value of the KAI 1 is now from 15K to 20K. #Anta #kai1 #kyrieirving #antaphilippines #fy #fyp #zeegaming ♬ original sound – Zee Gamıng
The ANTA KAI 1 is reportedly being resold between PHP 15,000 and PHP 20,000, far from its retail price tag of PHP 7,995. On StockX, prices peaked at a whopping USD 453 (around PHP 25,000). There’s no word yet if the “Artist on Court” will see a restock or an online raffle, but rabid releases might become the norm for ANTA in its ongoing five-year partnership with Kyrie.
ANTA KAI 1 – ANTA Philippines
ANTA KAI 1 – ANTA Philippines
ANTA KAI 1 – ANTA Philippines
ANTA KAI 1 – ANTA Philippines
