Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson has signed a lifetime contract with the Chinese sportswear brand ANTA.
The announcement coincided with ANTA’s opening of its first-ever North American flagship store in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon. ANTA Brand CEO Samuel Xu helped share the historic news. Of course, the entire basketball world and footwear industry are focused on Los Angeles this weekend for the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend.
The event could not have been better placed for Thompson, a Los Angeles native and five-time All-Star. It also showed ANTA’s rapidly expanding influence in the American footwear industry. Below is a breakdown of what a lifetime contract means for Thompson.
Klay Thompson wears the ANTA KT11. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apparel Line’s Transformational Shift
To honor Thompson’s outstanding contribution to the brand, ANTA unveiled a special-edition KT11 “Make it Forever” colorway. The silhouette is inlaid with diamonds, and the design symbolizes an enduring partnership and celebrates a journey of mutual growth and achievement.
As Thompson’s NBA career continues, he will be among the first to wear new footwear featuring ANTA’s most advanced technologies. His exclusive apparel line will also undergo a bold, transformative style shift.
Thompson first signed with ANTA in 2015, and his signature line has spanned 11 models. Even better, his line’s growth parallels the golden era of rapid advancement in China’s performance basketball footwear and has become a landmark IP representing the maturation of domestic professional basketball shoes.
Klay Thompson at a 2017 ANTA event in China. | IMAGO / Imaginechina
Investment in Chinese Basketball Culture
Thompson has visited China multiple times and is affectionately known among fans as “China Klay.” His regular trips have yielded many memorable moments and have encouraged broader participation in streetball, further fueling the growth of grassroots basketball culture in China.
Thompson will continue working with ANTA to support youth basketball development and inspire more young people to reach higher stages and pursue their dreams.
The lifetime partnership marks a new stage of collaboration. In the future, the two parties will continue to promote basketball globally through new products and IP, helping advance the reach and development of basketball culture on a broader world stage.
Klay Thompson at a 2019 ANTA event in China. | IMAGO / Imaginechina
Klay Thompson Brand
ANTA makes Thompson the seventh player in NBA history to earn a lifetime footwear contract: Michael Jordan (Nike), LeBron James (Nike), Kevin Durant (Nike), Dwyane Wade (Li-Ning), and Damian Lillard (adidas). Meanwhile, Stephen Curry’s Under Armour lifetime deal was cut short.
Unlike Jordan, Wade, and Curry, who spun off their own brands under the company umbrella, Thompson’s lifetime contract does not include his own brand or sublabel. Rather, his signature line, role with the company, and payment and/or royalties are cemented.
As Nick DePaula pointed out on X, there are 2,500 Foot Locker stores in the world and 12,000 ANTA stores in Asia. Thompson is a major player in the largest footwear market.
Klay Thompson wears the ANTA KAI 2 “Klay” colorway. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Kyrie Irving’s Future
Now that Thompson has signed a lifetime contract, the focus goes to his teammate and friend, Kyrie Irving. In July 2023, Irving signed a five-year sneaker partnership with ANTA. The contract also made Irving the ANTA Basketball’s Chief Creative Officer (CCO).
The partnership between ANTA and Irving has been a match made in heaven. Irving’s signature basketball shoes and casual sneakers are wildly popular. Plus, Irving has recruited new NBA players to ANTA.
Kyrie Irving’s second ANTA basketball shoes honored Klay Thompson. | ANTA
Meanwhile, ANTA’s profile in the North American market has risen dramatically. Let’s hope Irving is the next player to get a lifetime contract with ANTA.
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