BANGKOK/MANILA — When American basketball star Kyrie Irving visited Thailand in September, a first for an active NBA player, fans packed the Bangkok flagship store of his main sponsor, Chinese sportswear brand Anta.
Each piece purchased from Irving's Anta collection guaranteed a ticket to his in-store events, with special bonuses for top spenders including a brief meeting with his heroes. Dees, a Thai dance instructor in her 40s who describes herself as a “superfan” of Irving, arrived at the event with friends wearing pieces from the collection.