Irving will serve as ANTA’s Chief Creative Officer, recruit other players, and work on launching ANTA x KYRIE Youth basketball camps.

ANTA is currently the world’s number-one sportswear company in the world by revenue. It is also the third-largest producer of sports apparel and equipment, trailing only the industry’s heavyweights Nike and Adidas.

ANTA already has several prominent basketball stars under its wing. The list includes Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney, Charlotte Hornets’ Gordon Hayward, and Chicago Bulls’ Alex Caruso.

Kyrie Irving was previously endorsed by Nike, signing with the company shortly after he entered the NBA in 2011. His signature shoes were repeatedly among the best-selling among NBA players until the two sides parted ways last year.

Irving also recently signed a new contract with the Mavs that will keep him in Dallas for the next three seasons. The 31-year-old player split the last season between the Brooklyn Nets and Mavericks, averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 60 games.

The post Mavs’ Kyrie Irving Agrees to a Shoe Deal and “Partnership” With ANTA appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Since joining the Mavericks in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets, Irving has played four games, with Dallas obtaining a 2-2 record. Both games in which he and fellow All-Star Luka Doncic played together ended in single-digit losses. Currently, Irving averages 28.3 points and 7.0 assists in 38.5 minutes for his new team.

Leading up to the game, the 30-year-old Irving had not been an injury concern. He first appeared in the Mavs’ injury report on Wednesday mornings at which point he was listed as probable. He was downgraded to questionable little more than three hours before tipoff.

Wednesday’s game proved to be challenging for the Mavs without their new acquisition in their ranks. In his absence, the Nuggets’ Jeff Green stepped up to the plate, scoring a team-high 24 points while Nikola Jokic grabbed his 21st triple-double of the season.

The post Irving Misses Mavericks Game Due to Back Issues appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Irving requested a trade from the Nets last week after the contract extension negotiations between the two sides broke down. Several teams reached out to Brooklyn in recent days, including the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, but the Mavericks ended up putting the best offer on the table.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that Dallas will be sending guard Spencer Dinwiddie, wing Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 unprotected first-round pick, and two second-rounders (2027 and 2029) to the Nets. As part of the trade, the Mavs will also receive forward Markieff Morris.

Irving was involved in a number of off-the-court controversies in the recent season, but this hasn’t affected his game. In 40 games he played in 2022-23, the 30-year-old averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

The move gives the Mavs another star to play with Doncic, who emerged as a perennial MVP candidate in recent years. The franchise hopes the addition of Irving will give them enough firepower to contend for a championship and keep Doncic happy.

The Nets, on the other hand, probably received the most they could get for a player that didn’t want to be on their team anymore. Dinwiddie, who already played in Brooklyn between 2016 and 2021, and Finney-Smith can contribute right away while the team can package the incoming picks to make another trade and surround superstar Kevin Durant with more quality players.

The post Dallas Mavericks Acquire All-Star Kyrie Irving From the Nets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

As soon as the season ended, speculations about Irving’s potential transfer started circling around as he reportedly pursued a sign-and-trade deal with other teams. Some reports claim that several teams took notice, while ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Los Angeles Lakers are the only team showing actual interest.

It’s all water under the bridge now, since Irving told The Athletic that he’s sticking around in Brooklyn: “Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I’ve made my decision to opt-in. See you in the fall.”

Kyrie Irving: “Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I’ve made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall. A11even.” https://t.co/rpiS8YkSZI

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2022

Even after Irving decided to exercise his $37 million player option, the Nets could still trade him this offseason without his formal approval. They also have the option to offer him a long-term extension until June 30, 2023 before he becomes a free agent.

Irving’s last season with the Nets was quite rocky because he played in only 29 regular-season games after refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but that didn’t stop him from matching his career-high with 27.4 points per game.

The post Kyrie Irving Opts Into $37 Million Player Option to Stay with the Brooklyn Nets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Shams Charania, the senior lead NBA insider for The Athletic and Stadium, Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options for his future. This new development of events opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed with finding a new home via opt-in and trade.

Sources: Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options with his future.

This now opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed on finding a new home via opt-in and trade.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2022

Irving has until June 29 to accept a $36.9-million player option for the 2022-23 season, and there’s a possibility he could become a free agent. Back in April, he said he doesn’t “plan on going elsewhere”, but he’s yet to seal the deal with the Nets.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant told the Nets that he’s going to ask for a trade if Irving leaves. He signed a four-year, $198-million extension with the team just last summer, keeping him under contract through the 2025-26 season.

Both players joined the Nets in 2019 and were expected to usher in a successful new era for the team, but Brooklyn failed to make it further than the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2021.

The post Kevin Durant Weighing His Options Amid Kyrie Irving’s Possible Nets Exit appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to SNY’s NBA insider Ian Begley, the Mavs have recently reached out to the Nets to propose a trade for Irving. As Begley points out, it is unclear whether the talks between the two teams progressed any further than the initial inquiry, but the sources say that big man Kristaps Porzingis was mentioned as part of Dallas’ proposed package.

Irving hasn’t played at all in 2021-22 after not getting vaccinated against COVID-19. His vaccination status prohibits him from playing home games due to New York City’s mandates, although he could have played road games in cities that don’t have similar regulations. Despite the latter, the Nets and the player agreed he should remain sidelined until circumstances change.

It isn’t surprising to see Dallas pursuing Kyrie Irving as the franchise has been looking to get another playmaker and ball handler to complement their All-Star Luka Doncic. Irving would fit the role perfectly while giving the Mavs arguably the best backcourt in basketball.

The Nets, on the other hand, should be interested in Porzingis despite his dip in production in recent years. The center position has been an issue for the franchise ever since they’ve traded Jarrett Allen, and the Latvian would be a huge upgrade to their current options.

The post Mavs Reach Out to Nets to Ask About Kyrie Irving Trade appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Under the current COVID-19 protocols in New York City, Irving is not able to play home games because of his vaccination status. He would be allowed to play away games in cities that don’t have a similar mandate, but the Nets decided not to go down the road of “part-time availability.”

“Again, my job here is to make what we deem as the best decision and best choices for the organization moving ahead as a whole,” said Marks during a virtual news conference on Tuesday. “They’re not always ones that are going to be met with open arms and a thumbs-up. These are hard decisions. Just like I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Kyrie either to have to make that [decision] to not be around his teammates.”

Marks also reiterated that the Nets would welcome Irving back to the team as soon as he is compliant with New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Until then, the 29-year-old star will lose money for each home game that he doesn’t play. This would be 43 games, including regular season and preseason.

Irving, on the other hand, isn’t against the vaccine, according to a recent report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Instead, he’s reportedly “upset that people are losing their jobs due to vaccine mandates.”

The post Kyrie Irving Won’t Play or Practice with the Nets For Now appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

However, Harden didn’t just lead the Nets to victory. He also broke a new franchise record in the process.

With 23 points and 11 assists on the night, Harden was able to snag his 11th straight double-double, breaking the original Brooklyn Nets’ franchise record for consecutive double-doubles. This feat was also Harden’s 19th overall points-assists double-double of the season, which is the most in the entire league.

Harden has proven that he’s more than just a scorer, helping four other Nets players score in double-digits. Even though he’s only just joined the team, there is obviously some real chemistry at play.

Laker superstar LeBron James shined with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, but couldn’t scrape away with a victory. The other Laker All-Star, Anthony Davis, sat out due to injury. However, to be fair, Nets superstar Kevin Durant also sat out.

Nevertheless, this highly-anticipated battle between these two heavyweights was a great one, and people will certainly be giving the Nets some serious respect after this game.

The post James Harden Leads Nets Over Lakers in Record-Breaking Fashion appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Kyrie Irving and James Harden have spent the majority of their careers at the point guard spot, which made their pairing in the backcourt a challenge. It was unclear who of the two All-Stars would handle the playmaking duties when they’re together on the court, and this confusion might have led to some underwhelming performances early on.

However, Irving recently revealed that the matter is resolved now and that Harden will be the Nets’ primary ball-handler.

“We established that maybe four days ago now,” said Irving following the 134-117 win against Golden State Warriors. “I just looked at him, and I said, ‘You’re the point guard, and I’m going to play shooting guard.’ That was as simple as that.”

Irving also praised Harden for his performances so far and explained that the 2018 NBA MVP has made his job on the court a lot easier since landing in Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade early in the season.

“It just makes my job easier to just go out and play free and just make plays,” Irving added.

James Harden has been thriving in his role as a point guard for the Nets so far, involving his teammates plenty and often. He has 11.6 assists per game since joining his new team, which enabled Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to thrive on the scoring end. Irving is currently averaging 27.6 points per game, while Durant is leading the Nets with 29 points on average.

The Nets are currently on a two-game winning streak and find themselves on No. 3 in the Eastern Conference. They are 16-12 and trail the leading Philadelphia 76ers by 2.5 games.

The post James Harden Endorsed as Nets’ Point Guard by Kyrie Irving appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The now-ex-Houston Rockets superstar guard had initially shared before the season that he wanted to get traded to a contender, ideally the Nets. But nothing really ended up happening from that.

However, after the Rockets got blown out by the Los Angeles Lakers 117-100, Harden decided it was the last straw. In the press conference after the game, he declared that Houston simply wasn’t “good enough” to declare for a title.

In a shocking turn of events, Houston then engaged in a four-way trade with the Nets, the Indiana Pacers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Nets received the biggest piece of the trade in Harden. The Rockets received a massive package that included three unprotected first-round draft picks and four pick swaps from the Nets, along with Brooklyn forward Rodions Kurucs. But Houston also got Pacers star forward Victor Oladipo, Cavs guard Dante Exum, and Cleveland’s 2022 first-round draft pick that they got from the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Cavs were given young big man Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince from the Nets, and the Pacers received promising guard Caris LeVert from the Nets as well. To top it off, Cleveland also received a 2023 second-round pick from Houston.

The most exciting part of the trade is Harden teaming up with fellow stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, forming a formidable big three that teams won’t be excited to face.

The post James Harden Traded To Nets In Blockbuster Four-Team Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Irving will serve as ANTA’s Chief Creative Officer, recruit other players, and work on launching ANTA x KYRIE Youth basketball camps.

ANTA is currently the world’s number-one sportswear company in the world by revenue. It is also the third-largest producer of sports apparel and equipment, trailing only the industry’s heavyweights Nike and Adidas.

ANTA already has several prominent basketball stars under its wing. The list includes Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney, Charlotte Hornets’ Gordon Hayward, and Chicago Bulls’ Alex Caruso.

Kyrie Irving was previously endorsed by Nike, signing with the company shortly after he entered the NBA in 2011. His signature shoes were repeatedly among the best-selling among NBA players until the two sides parted ways last year.

Irving also recently signed a new contract with the Mavs that will keep him in Dallas for the next three seasons. The 31-year-old player split the last season between the Brooklyn Nets and Mavericks, averaging 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 60 games.

The post Mavs’ Kyrie Irving Agrees to a Shoe Deal and “Partnership” With ANTA appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Since joining the Mavericks in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets, Irving has played four games, with Dallas obtaining a 2-2 record. Both games in which he and fellow All-Star Luka Doncic played together ended in single-digit losses. Currently, Irving averages 28.3 points and 7.0 assists in 38.5 minutes for his new team.

Leading up to the game, the 30-year-old Irving had not been an injury concern. He first appeared in the Mavs’ injury report on Wednesday mornings at which point he was listed as probable. He was downgraded to questionable little more than three hours before tipoff.

Wednesday’s game proved to be challenging for the Mavs without their new acquisition in their ranks. In his absence, the Nuggets’ Jeff Green stepped up to the plate, scoring a team-high 24 points while Nikola Jokic grabbed his 21st triple-double of the season.

The post Irving Misses Mavericks Game Due to Back Issues appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Irving requested a trade from the Nets last week after the contract extension negotiations between the two sides broke down. Several teams reached out to Brooklyn in recent days, including the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, but the Mavericks ended up putting the best offer on the table.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that Dallas will be sending guard Spencer Dinwiddie, wing Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 unprotected first-round pick, and two second-rounders (2027 and 2029) to the Nets. As part of the trade, the Mavs will also receive forward Markieff Morris.

Irving was involved in a number of off-the-court controversies in the recent season, but this hasn’t affected his game. In 40 games he played in 2022-23, the 30-year-old averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

The move gives the Mavs another star to play with Doncic, who emerged as a perennial MVP candidate in recent years. The franchise hopes the addition of Irving will give them enough firepower to contend for a championship and keep Doncic happy.

The Nets, on the other hand, probably received the most they could get for a player that didn’t want to be on their team anymore. Dinwiddie, who already played in Brooklyn between 2016 and 2021, and Finney-Smith can contribute right away while the team can package the incoming picks to make another trade and surround superstar Kevin Durant with more quality players.

The post Dallas Mavericks Acquire All-Star Kyrie Irving From the Nets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

As soon as the season ended, speculations about Irving’s potential transfer started circling around as he reportedly pursued a sign-and-trade deal with other teams. Some reports claim that several teams took notice, while ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Los Angeles Lakers are the only team showing actual interest.

It’s all water under the bridge now, since Irving told The Athletic that he’s sticking around in Brooklyn: “Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I’ve made my decision to opt-in. See you in the fall.”

Kyrie Irving: “Normal people keep the world going, but those who dare to be different lead us into tomorrow. I’ve made my decision to opt in. See you in the fall. A11even.” https://t.co/rpiS8YkSZI

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2022

Even after Irving decided to exercise his $37 million player option, the Nets could still trade him this offseason without his formal approval. They also have the option to offer him a long-term extension until June 30, 2023 before he becomes a free agent.

Irving’s last season with the Nets was quite rocky because he played in only 29 regular-season games after refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but that didn’t stop him from matching his career-high with 27.4 points per game.

The post Kyrie Irving Opts Into $37 Million Player Option to Stay with the Brooklyn Nets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Shams Charania, the senior lead NBA insider for The Athletic and Stadium, Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options for his future. This new development of events opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed with finding a new home via opt-in and trade.

Sources: Kevin Durant is monitoring the Brooklyn Nets’ situation and considering options with his future.

This now opens the path for Kyrie Irving to proceed on finding a new home via opt-in and trade.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2022

Irving has until June 29 to accept a $36.9-million player option for the 2022-23 season, and there’s a possibility he could become a free agent. Back in April, he said he doesn’t “plan on going elsewhere”, but he’s yet to seal the deal with the Nets.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant told the Nets that he’s going to ask for a trade if Irving leaves. He signed a four-year, $198-million extension with the team just last summer, keeping him under contract through the 2025-26 season.

Both players joined the Nets in 2019 and were expected to usher in a successful new era for the team, but Brooklyn failed to make it further than the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2021.

The post Kevin Durant Weighing His Options Amid Kyrie Irving’s Possible Nets Exit appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to SNY’s NBA insider Ian Begley, the Mavs have recently reached out to the Nets to propose a trade for Irving. As Begley points out, it is unclear whether the talks between the two teams progressed any further than the initial inquiry, but the sources say that big man Kristaps Porzingis was mentioned as part of Dallas’ proposed package.

Irving hasn’t played at all in 2021-22 after not getting vaccinated against COVID-19. His vaccination status prohibits him from playing home games due to New York City’s mandates, although he could have played road games in cities that don’t have similar regulations. Despite the latter, the Nets and the player agreed he should remain sidelined until circumstances change.

It isn’t surprising to see Dallas pursuing Kyrie Irving as the franchise has been looking to get another playmaker and ball handler to complement their All-Star Luka Doncic. Irving would fit the role perfectly while giving the Mavs arguably the best backcourt in basketball.

The Nets, on the other hand, should be interested in Porzingis despite his dip in production in recent years. The center position has been an issue for the franchise ever since they’ve traded Jarrett Allen, and the Latvian would be a huge upgrade to their current options.

The post Mavs Reach Out to Nets to Ask About Kyrie Irving Trade appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Under the current COVID-19 protocols in New York City, Irving is not able to play home games because of his vaccination status. He would be allowed to play away games in cities that don’t have a similar mandate, but the Nets decided not to go down the road of “part-time availability.”

“Again, my job here is to make what we deem as the best decision and best choices for the organization moving ahead as a whole,” said Marks during a virtual news conference on Tuesday. “They’re not always ones that are going to be met with open arms and a thumbs-up. These are hard decisions. Just like I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Kyrie either to have to make that [decision] to not be around his teammates.”

Marks also reiterated that the Nets would welcome Irving back to the team as soon as he is compliant with New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Until then, the 29-year-old star will lose money for each home game that he doesn’t play. This would be 43 games, including regular season and preseason.

Irving, on the other hand, isn’t against the vaccine, according to a recent report by The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Instead, he’s reportedly “upset that people are losing their jobs due to vaccine mandates.”

The post Kyrie Irving Won’t Play or Practice with the Nets For Now appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

However, Harden didn’t just lead the Nets to victory. He also broke a new franchise record in the process.

With 23 points and 11 assists on the night, Harden was able to snag his 11th straight double-double, breaking the original Brooklyn Nets’ franchise record for consecutive double-doubles. This feat was also Harden’s 19th overall points-assists double-double of the season, which is the most in the entire league.

Harden has proven that he’s more than just a scorer, helping four other Nets players score in double-digits. Even though he’s only just joined the team, there is obviously some real chemistry at play.

Laker superstar LeBron James shined with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, but couldn’t scrape away with a victory. The other Laker All-Star, Anthony Davis, sat out due to injury. However, to be fair, Nets superstar Kevin Durant also sat out.

Nevertheless, this highly-anticipated battle between these two heavyweights was a great one, and people will certainly be giving the Nets some serious respect after this game.

The post James Harden Leads Nets Over Lakers in Record-Breaking Fashion appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Kyrie Irving and James Harden have spent the majority of their careers at the point guard spot, which made their pairing in the backcourt a challenge. It was unclear who of the two All-Stars would handle the playmaking duties when they’re together on the court, and this confusion might have led to some underwhelming performances early on.

However, Irving recently revealed that the matter is resolved now and that Harden will be the Nets’ primary ball-handler.

“We established that maybe four days ago now,” said Irving following the 134-117 win against Golden State Warriors. “I just looked at him, and I said, ‘You’re the point guard, and I’m going to play shooting guard.’ That was as simple as that.”

Irving also praised Harden for his performances so far and explained that the 2018 NBA MVP has made his job on the court a lot easier since landing in Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade early in the season.

“It just makes my job easier to just go out and play free and just make plays,” Irving added.

James Harden has been thriving in his role as a point guard for the Nets so far, involving his teammates plenty and often. He has 11.6 assists per game since joining his new team, which enabled Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to thrive on the scoring end. Irving is currently averaging 27.6 points per game, while Durant is leading the Nets with 29 points on average.

The Nets are currently on a two-game winning streak and find themselves on No. 3 in the Eastern Conference. They are 16-12 and trail the leading Philadelphia 76ers by 2.5 games.

The post James Harden Endorsed as Nets’ Point Guard by Kyrie Irving appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The now-ex-Houston Rockets superstar guard had initially shared before the season that he wanted to get traded to a contender, ideally the Nets. But nothing really ended up happening from that.

However, after the Rockets got blown out by the Los Angeles Lakers 117-100, Harden decided it was the last straw. In the press conference after the game, he declared that Houston simply wasn’t “good enough” to declare for a title.

In a shocking turn of events, Houston then engaged in a four-way trade with the Nets, the Indiana Pacers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Nets received the biggest piece of the trade in Harden. The Rockets received a massive package that included three unprotected first-round draft picks and four pick swaps from the Nets, along with Brooklyn forward Rodions Kurucs. But Houston also got Pacers star forward Victor Oladipo, Cavs guard Dante Exum, and Cleveland’s 2022 first-round draft pick that they got from the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Cavs were given young big man Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince from the Nets, and the Pacers received promising guard Caris LeVert from the Nets as well. To top it off, Cleveland also received a 2023 second-round pick from Houston.

The most exciting part of the trade is Harden teaming up with fellow stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, forming a formidable big three that teams won’t be excited to face.

The post James Harden Traded To Nets In Blockbuster Four-Team Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.