This Limited Anta Kai 1 Takes Inspiration From an Unusual Training Drill From Kyrie Irving’s Childhood

Ian Servantes

7 February 2025 at 3:48 pm·2-min read

Kyrie Irving won’t be playing in the NBA All-Star Game this month, but that hasn’t stopped him and Anta from making one of the more intriguing sneakers for the weekend.

The Anta Kai 1 Speed “Bag Work” has been made to look like a plastic bag to commemorate an unusual form of training from Irving’s childhood. Having been Baron Davis do the same thing, Irving would tie a plastic bag around a basketball and then practice dribbling, which would make the ball more slippery, reduce the amount of bounce and even lead to some unexpected bounces when it landed on the knot.

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Clearly, it worked, as Irving is widely considered the best dribbler in the league, if not of all-time.

“Thank you for shopping with us” wordmarks and other graphics from shopping bags are placed throughout the upper, which is largely done up in white and also features some translucent elements. In some places, these marks are placed beneath a translucent layer, rendering them hazy like you might see in a bag full of bags.

The Kai 1 Speed is a lighter version of Irving’s signature sneaker, and a more affordable Kai 1 Team just made its debut in early January.

The Kai 1 Speed “Bag Work” will release February 13 exclusively at Foot Locker’s activation in San Francisco for the NBA All-Star Game. A New Jersey-themed corner store within the space will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time Thursday, February 13, through Saturday, February 15, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. February 16. Pricing for the shoe hasn’t been confirmed, but the shoe typically sells for $125.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

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