Kyrie Irving’s contract with Nike is terminated

 

 

One month after Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving supported an anti-Semitic documentary on social media, Nike terminated their sponsorship of him.

Irving later apologized after the sportswear firm first suspended its deal with him.

 

Eight games were missed by the 30-year-old as he was suspended by the NBA.

 

Speaking recently, Nike founder Phil Knight said: “Kyrie stepped over the line. It’s kind of that simple.”

Knight added: “He made some statements that we just can’t abide by, and that’s why we ended the relationship. I was fine with that.”

Irving, a seven-time NBA All-Star, had been collaborating with Nike for eight years and, as of 2019, had a $11 million (£9 million) contract with the company.

He spoke with Jewish community leaders and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during his ban, and he and the Brooklyn Nets made a donation commitment of $1 million (£820,000) to fight “hate and intolerance”.