On the eve of his fourth NBA Finals appearance, Mavericks sensation Kyrie Irving created history with his latest ANTA shoe collaboration. According to league source Shams Charania, the 32-year-old point guard just signed his father, Drederick Irving, as his first signature athlete.

“Sources: Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving is signing the first signature athlete for his ANTA shoe line: His father, Drederick Irving,” Shams wrote. “This marks the first time in pro sports a player has signed his dad to a signature shoe deal.”

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Drederick never played in the NBA, but he did play for Boston University and the Bulleen Boomers of the South East Australian Basketball League, where he scored an impressive 30.0 points per game.

“Drederick played for Boston University and professionally in Australia. Kyrie inked his father to an endorsement agreement, and the Drederick Irving’s will be available in Foot Locker shops in September. Charania wrote.

Kyrie, an 8-time NBA All-Star, is the first professional U.S. athlete to sign their parent to an endorsement deal, which should come as no surprise. Irving (1x NBA champion) is a self-proclaimed family man with a strong connection to his roots, so it’s fitting that he honours his father in such a personal and memorable way.

Kyrie signed with ANTA in July 2023, after being fired by Nike due to his controversial views on the COVID-19 vaccination and a reportedly anti-Semitic song he posted on social media. He swiftly agreed to a five-year contract to join the company as the ‘Chief Creative Officer,’ which has given him a lot of authority over the types of shoes they produce.

Some may be unaware that Drederick is not the only member of Kyrie’s family who has received such recognition. Since signing with ANTA, the former No. 1 overall pick has acknowledged numerous key players in his background.

Kyrie recently pushed the release of a special edition ANTA sneaker honouring his mother, Elizabeth Irving, and their relationship with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. That particular agreement did not include an entire endorsement deal for Elizabeth, but it generated a lot of positive feedback from fans.

The classic Anta ‘KAI 1 ‘Chief Hélà’ trainers that Irving wore to begin the Western Conference Finals are arguably the most unusual in his collection. Irving’s native American roots certainly inspired the design and name, which appears to be a recurring motif.

With continuous references to his family and background, Kyrie is clearly a man who is proud of his heritage and grateful to those who helped made his journey possible. Irving developed his passion of the game while growing up in West Orange, New Jersey, from seeing his father play, and he was able to improve his talents to become one of the country’s best prospects.

Years later, as an NBA champion and future Hall of Famer, Irving has the opportunity to add on his legacy by winning another title alongside Luka Doncic. No matter what happens in the rest of the series, I believe Kyrie has already re-earned the fans’ trust, and his current gesture with ANTA will only strengthen his position.