Although Kyrie Irving will miss the rest of the 2024-2025 NBA season as the superstar suffered a torn ACL earlier this month, his partners at ANTA will still be pushing forward with releases from the ANTA Kai line. To follow up on the debut of his second signature sneaker with ANTA, the Kai 2, the sportswear brand will honor Kyrie’s birthday with a special colorway dubbed Solar Return.
Embodying Kyrie’s journey on and off the court, this colorway is designed with celestial hues and energy patterns, representing a commitment to movement, balance, and enlightenment. More specifically, the color palette is derived by deconstructing sunlight into a vibrant array of colors, as we see orange, purple, aqua, yellow, and white contrast the stark black base layer of the sneaker. While the embroidered details, like the ANTA logo on the midfoot and dot pattern along the forefoot, come in shades, Kyrie’s logo on the tongue and the lace set are coated in a solid orange.
These embroidered details all pay homage to traditional hand-stitched ethnic designs, with the multi-colored dots specifically representing particles, the yellow/orange wave lines mimicking oscillating light curves, and the heel incorporating the sun and Kyrie’s number 11. Below, the sneaker features a NitroEdge cushioned sole unit with a sawtooth pattern embedded into the side wall. Finishing the design is the rubber outsole embedded with color particles representing light and energy movement.
The ANTA Kai 2 Solar Return will release on Kyrie’s birthday, March 23, 2025, through ANTA, Hibbett, Shoe Palace, DTLR, Sneaker Politics, Extra Butter, Nice Kicks, Sneaker Room, Social Status, and Feature online and in-store. Available in men’s sizing, the retail price is $140. 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
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
