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[Saba Sports News] As he prepares for his fourth NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving is keeping things in the family.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Dallas Mavericks star is signing his first signature athlete for his shoe line with ANTA—his father, Drederick Irving. This marks the first time a pro athlete has signed their father to a signature shoe deal.
Kyrie has a close relationship with Drederick, who raised him as a single father after Kyrie’s mother, Elizabeth, died when Kyrie was four. Drederick was also a professional basketball player, playing in Australia for the Bulleen Boomers after his college career at Boston University.
Charania adds that the Drederick Irving signature sneaker will be released in Foot Locker stores in September. While signing a parent to a shoe deal is unprecedented, it aligns with Irving’s trend of making groundbreaking moves. In 2022, he hired his stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving, as his agent.