“I hit him up first”: Steph Curry wore Kai 3 “Chinese New Year” before Kyrie ever did | NBA News
Stephen Curry has been reminding everyone why he’s the league’s favorite superstar. During his high-profile sneaker free agency, he has been rocking kicks released by different players, from the Sabrina 2s and Anthony Edwards 1s to the legendary Kobe 4s. This week, Chef Curry took his respect tour to a whole new level. During the tunnel walk for the Warriors’ clash against the Dallas Mavericks, he was seen rocking the ANTA Hélà Style “Roots” sneaker in the sleek Ombre Blue colorway while carrying the ANTA KAI 3 “Chinese New Year” in his hands.Lacing them up for the game, Curry signaled a major shift in NBA culture. By choosing to wear a competitor’s gear while Kyrie Irving remains sidelined, Steph bridged the gap between fierce competition and genuine brotherhood.
Stephen Curry rang up Kyrie before debuting KAI 3
The backstory to this sneaker debut is even more compelling than the shoe itself as Curry didn’t just throw them on, he went through the proper channels and asked Kyrie Irving if it was all right to wear. When a reporter asked Curry about his relationship with Kyrie after last season’s battles they fought against each other, he said, “It’s nothing but mutual respect and admiration for what he’s done in his career. The battles that we’ve had, the deeper you get into it, you appreciate the fact that his talent kind of raised your level throughout the journey. We don’t get to spend that much time together, but there’s that mutual respect. At the All-Star Game, had an amazing conversation. I hit him up before tonight to make sure he was cool with me wearing his shoes, because I know he hasn’t had a chance to debut them himself on the court. He said the admiration goes both ways. I appreciate greatness, and it’s kind of been fun throughout this process to shine a light on competitors, rivals, friends, guys that mean a lot to you.”
Curry’s individual brilliance vs Warrior’ team turmoil
While Steph is winning the vibes battle, the actual basketball has been a grind. The Warriors lost to the Mavs 115-123 despite Curry’s 38 points and 14 field goals. Stephen Curry recently earned his 12th All-Star nomination, and he has been putting number of that calibre this season with 27.4 points and nearly five assists per game, yet the Warriors are struggling. The recent season-ending ACL injury to Jimmy Butler has left a massive 20-point hole in the starting lineup and stripped the team of its best secondary playmaker. This raises a lot of questions about the Warriors’ ability to support Curry’s greatness in his last year of contract.
