Kyrie Irving's New Nike Shoes Could Be Shelved
Background
The controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving continues to get worse for the Brooklyn Nets' point guard. Last night, the team announced a suspension of at least five games without pay. The decision to punish Irving stems from his social media post last week, where he promoted a documentary deemed to be antisemitic.
On Wednesday, the Nets, Irving, and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) put out a joint statement where the team and player pledged to donate $500,000 each toward anti-hate causes." In the statement, Irving took responsibility for the post but did not apologize.
During Irving's media availability on Thursday, he refused to apologize and grew defensive. Some reporters accused Irving's rhetoric of doubling down on antisemitic tropes. His remarks drew condemnation from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the ADL.
Irving eventually posted an apology on his Instagram account on Thursday night. This morning, Nets general manager Sean Marks called the apology "a step" but said more work needed to be done before Irving could play again.
Nike
Irving's controversial rhetoric has drawn condemnation from the NBA, the Nets, and Nike. On Wednesday, Nike released a statement saying, "At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech, and we condemn any form of antisemitism."
This is not the first time Nike has dealt with a public relations headache caused by Irving. In July 2021, images of the unreleased Nike Kyrie 8 surfaced online. Irving accused Nike of excluding him from the design process and called the shoe "trash."
The shoe was later renamed the Nike Kyrie Infinity, and Irving wore it during his limited time on the court during the 2021-22 NBA season.
In May, ESPN reported that Nike was unlikely to extend Irving's signature shoe deal beyond the 2022-23 NBA season. The decision to cut ties with Irving is a major step for the American company. Irving's signature sneaker line launched in 2014 and has become a favorite shoe among NBA and WNBA players.
In August, Irving said his 9th signature shoe would be called the Nike Kyrie 8 and hinted at its release on November 11, 2022. Throughout this season, Irving has played in the multiple colorways of the unreleased shoe.
Nike Kyrie 8
Kyrie Irving wearing his unreleased Nike basketball shoes.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Irving is the only party to offer any details on the upcoming release of his 9th signature shoe. Nike has not provided any official images, tech specs, pricing, or release dates for the performance basketball shoes.
Following the events of the past week, it is fair to question if Nike will proceed with the release of Irving's final signature shoe. Irving's hinted release date of November 11 is less than a week away. Irving will have at least one game remaining in his minimum five-game suspension by that date.
Not only is Nike the king of sportswear, but they are arguably the best at marketing and storytelling. It is hard to imagine the company celebrating the launch of Irving's newest signature shoe at this time.
Do you think Nike should proceed with the launch of what is expected to be Irving's final signature shoe? Please share your thoughts with us on Twitter. As always, stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for news, analysis, and interviews.
Update (Nov. 4)
Late Friday night, Nike announced the company is suspending its relationship with Irving, effective immediately. Irving's final signature shoe, the Nike Kyrie 8, will not launch. Read the full story here.
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