ANTA’s highly anticipated Klay Thompson line, the KT8, has finally launched in the Philippines in four exciting colorways.
Last Monday, October 4, ANTA welcomed the newest edition of their Klay Thompson line, the highly-anticipated KT8. At the Chairman’s Lounge of Okada Manila, an intimate group of guests invited by ANTA was given a preview of the first four colorways of the new collection.
ANTA’s anticipated launch event culminated with a video call with the sneaker’s designer, Duane A. Lawrence. With this, the guests had the chance to learn more about the new KT8—and we’re here to share the good news.
Uniquely Klay
At the Chairman’s Lounge at Okada, the ANTA team was joined by athletes and coaches in the basketball community. To name just a few, PBA players Anton Asistio and Justin Chua, as well as 3×3 players Raffy Verano, Nico Salva, Tonino Gonzaga, and LA Revilla were present at the launch.
They were first to get an up-close look at the brand new KT8 line, with the four initial colorways. The first thing one will notice about these shoes is definitely their design. At the launch, Duane Lawrence shared that the process of creating the design of the shoe was heavily influenced by Klay Thompson himself. “Sometimes it’s performance-driven, sometimes it’s detail-driven,” Lawrence said.
And the details are definitely what makes this collection unique. And you’re going to want your own pair just to look out for all the Easter eggs that Lawrence incorporated so creatively into the design.
One of the details in the KT8 can be found on the heels. The left heel reads 1987/1988, representing the year Klay’s dad won back-to-back NBA Championships. Similarly, the right heel reads 2017/2018, the years that Klay himself went back-to-back too.
“They’re the only father-son duo to do that,” Lawrence shared.
Another detail on the shoe that is unique to Klay is the dots on the toes of the shoes. “The dots represent Klay’s shooting percentage—his three-point shooting chart,” Lawrence explained. With this, he further explains that the locations of the dots represent where he takes the most shots.
These are just some of the highlighted features found within the design of the shoe that make the design so uniquely Klay. But of course, there is more to the shoe than what meets the eye.
Form and function
What is a basketball shoe without its functions?
The KT8 is ANTA’s first basketball shoe that has an adjustable ankle collar. With this, anyone can choose whether to go with a mid or low look. In addition, the KT8 also features 3D Flow, a three-axis integration that provides players with multi-directional stability.
The shoe’s X-axis provides lateral containment and torsion control. The Y-axis helps with forward propulsion and liftoff. Finally, the Z-axis is designed for cushioning, shock absorption, and energy return.
“Being a master on the offensive end and being the defensive stopper for the warriors their whole run so far, we gotta make sure we protect him on every angle so he can attack in every direction,” Lawrence expounded.
As a result, the KT8 is more functional and stable than its previous installments, with an 18% reduction in weight, 82.6% rebound rate, and 57.5% durability rate. With this, it is evident that designer Duane Lawrence truly married both design and function into the KT8—fitting for a player who is strong on both style and performance.
Four out now, more to come?
Last Monday, ANTA released the new KT8 in four initial colorways, Remain White, Enough Said, LA, and Veterans Day. But, there is more to be excited about in the near future.
In the coming months, ANTA teases and tells us to watch out for more colorways to come out, including one that you may have seen on Klay himself this season.
In the 2022/23 season’s opening game, Klay Thompson rocked the limited-edition KT8 ‘Gold Blooded’ pack against the Lakers. This is expected to come out here in Manila sooner than you think. In fact, some athletes already have their hands on it.
For now, the four initial designs are now available in local ANTA stores and retail for PHP 8,995. Which pair are you copping?
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