Klay Thompson Celebrates New Contract With Newspaper-Themed Sneakers

Thompson's new Anta KT4s celebrate his pre-game ritual of reading the paper

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. (Ezra Shaw/Getty)
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. (Ezra Shaw/Getty)
Getty Images

To celebrate the massive stack of paper the Warriors just handed him, Klay Thompson is releasing some sneakers canvased with a different kind of paper.

After signing a five-year deal with the Golden State Warriors that guarantees him $190 million, Thompson and his shoe company, Anta, will be dropping the KT4 x East Bay Times basketball kicks this weekend. The limited-edition shoes are an homage to Thompson’s preferred pre-game ritual of reading newspapers like The East Bay Times.

“I like reading the newspaper,” Thompson told The Mercury News of his pre-game ritual. “I think my mom saw me on my phone a lot and she just suggested you read the paper before a game, get away from looking at a screen. It’s really helped me relax before games and take my mind off what I’ve got to go out there and do. I like to turn the pages. It’s just so good to get the feel of the paper, it’s there in your hands. And the smell. I love the smell of a fresh newspaper.”

Thompson’s last shoe from Anta, the Gold-Blooded Anta KT3, also got an interesting release.

“It might not look flashy, but it’s the best shoe Anta’s made and it might be one of the best Chinese shoes ever,” Thompson said of the KT3s in 2017. “It’s very comfortable, so I’m excited to wear them this year.”

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