Sneaker Free Agent Irish Coquia Puts TITAN at Top of His List

Irish Coquia has already settled one major question about his basketball future by committing to the UP Fighting Maroons.

What he wears when he eventually takes the court for State U, however, remains open.

“Nothing yet,” Coquia said on my podcast, The Navs Effect, when asked if he currently had a footwear sponsor in the Philippines.

The Filipino guard from Canada is entering the local sneaker market with an establishing preference.

Coquia grew up playing in Nike’s signature lines, particularly the shoes associated with Kyrie Irving.

“I’m a big Kyrie guy: Kyrie 3s, Kyrie 4s, Kyrie 5s,” he said. “Right now, I’m rocking some Kyrie 8s. But I’m a big KD guy, Kobe guy. I’m a big Nike guy for sure.”

The answer should come as no surprise as Coquia is among a generation of guards whose footwear tastes were shaped by Irving, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant, three of the NBA’s premier talents in the 2010s. Irving’s early Nike models developed a strong following among quick ball-handlers because of their low-to-the-ground construction, responsive feel, and support for sharp changes of direction.

Irving and Nike ended their relationship in 2022 before the eight-time NBA All-Star joined ANTA the following year. He now serves as the Chinese sportswear company’s chief creative officer of basketball and leads its KAI signature line. Read more about that here.

Coquia has already tried Irving’s ANTA footwear and came away impressed.

“Those are great shoes, too,” he said. “They’re very comfortable.”

Asked if he could see himself playing in ANTA for an extended period, Coquia left the possibility open.

“We’ll see what happens, man,” he said. “Hopefully.”

ANTA has become increasingly aggressive in Philippine basketball. Its local operation entered a partnership with the PBA and has continued investing in collegiate and grassroots programs, including the NBTC All-Star Game.

The company has also signed young Filipino players as it builds a pipeline around developing talent. That strategy, combined with Coquia’s affinity for Irving’s shoes, makes him a logical athlete for the brand to monitor as he prepares for his UP career.

In terms of the first brand Coquia thought of as a possible destination, that distinction belonged to TITAN.

“Hopefully TITAN, man,” Coquia said. “Just hit my line, man. I’m ready.”

TITAN is not a footwear manufacturer in the same sense as Nike, ANTA, or adidas. It is the Philippines’ leading basketball specialty concept, with a long-standing creative and retail relationship with Nike and Jordan Brand. Its previous projects have included shoes connected to LeBron James and Sabrina Ionescu, as well as its recent Nike G.T. Cut collaboration with Filipino-American NBA guard Dylan Harper.

For Coquia, a TITAN partnership could offer a natural bridge between his preference for Nike Basketball and his growing profile in the Philippines. It could also take a different form from a conventional shoe contract, potentially involving product support, appearances, campaigns, or storytelling built around his return to his home country.

Coquia also expressed openness to adidas despite admitting that he has less experience with the brand.

“I actually have played in adidas,” he said. “I like it. I’m not too familiar or too into it, but if adidas was there, I wouldn’t mind it as well.”

Adidas has strengthened its Philippine basketball presence through a multi-year partnership with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, making it the official outfitter of the national program. It also released a Philippines-exclusive Anthony Edwards 2 and previously gave Kevin Quiambao the first adidas Player Edition basketball shoe created for a Filipino athlete.

Coquia’s recent footwear experience includes another major company. He wore Curry models during his final American college season and eventually learned to trust their unusual traction.

“At first, it was hard,” he said. “Currys don’t squeak. They’re very comfortable and they’re very grippy, but they don’t squeak.”

That silence is partly a product of Under Armour’s Flow technology, which eliminates the traditional rubber outsole used by most basketball shoes.

The resulting traction can grip hardwood without producing the familiar sound players often associate with a secure stop.

For Coquia, the lack of noise created an initial psychological adjustment.

“It’s a mental thing,” he explained. “It’s like, ‘Are my feet set?’ They’re too grippy. In practice, I would trip on myself. But Currys are comfortable. I like them. They’re good.”

Stephen Curry and Under Armour ended their partnership in November 2025, with Curry subsequently entering a long-term agreement with Li-Ning. Under Armour has continued its basketball business with De’Aaron Fox as its leading signature athlete, and Coquia said he has also played in Fox’s shoes and enjoyed them.

The conversation showed that Coquia is not simply waiting for the biggest available offer. He knows the type of footwear he prefers, understands how different traction systems affect his confidence, and has accumulated experience across several signature lines.

He also has a growing platform. Coquia averaged 16.9 points and 4.8 assists during his breakout sophomore season at Simon Fraser, earned Second-Team All-GNAC honors, and later gained NCAA Division I experience at New Orleans. He will complete a residency year before becoming eligible for UP in UAAP Season 90.

His production, Filipino-Canadian identity, and place in the Fighting Maroons’ future backcourt give footwear companies a story that extends beyond what he wears. For now, he remains available.