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The partnership between Nike and Kyrie Irving appears to be coming to an end soon. Over the past few months, multiple outlets have reported that the two parties will not renew their contract, which expires after the 2022-23 NBA season.

Since signing with Nike in 2014, Irving has become one of the brand's most popular signature athletes. His sneaker line has made history thanks to its fun colorways and stellar performance capabilities. Now fans might be seeing the first images of his final signature shoe.

An Instagram user posted the photo above with the caption, "Kyrie 9 ?" Neither the user nor FanNation Kicks can confirm if this image is legitimate or just another internet rumor. However, it is normal for images of upcoming sneakers to appear online well ahead of their official release date.

Irving's eighth signature sneaker, the Nike Kyrie Infinity, got off to a rocky start. Last July, Irving commented on the image of the hoop shoe, saying, “I have nothing to do with the design or marketing of the upcoming Kyrie 8, IMO these are trash! I have absolutely nothing to do with them! Nike plans to release it without my okay regardless of what I say, so I apologize in advance to all of my sneaker heads and true supporters of the KAI11 brand.”

Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving wearing the Nike Kyrie Infinity.

Kyrie Irving wearing the Nike Kyrie Infinity.

Nevertheless, Irving did wear the kicks he called trash when he was available to play during the 2021-22 NBA Season. If this is the end for Irving and Nike, both parties will be fine. However, we hate it for the sneakerheads and hoopers who are fans of the Nike Kyrie line. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for breaking news, updates, and interviews.

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