As a result of Kyrie Irving’s recent activities, which included sharing a link to an anti-Semitic film on Instagram, his biggest sponsorship partner, Nike, has reacted.
According to Shams Charania, Nike has decided to stop its collaboration with Irving. The Kyrie 8, which was planned for sale this month in a number of colorways, will therefore no longer be released by the firm.
The action was taken in response to the Brooklyn Nets’ announcement that they had suspended the point guard for at least five games for what they considered was his failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film.” Additionally, Irving is anticipated to meet with NBA commissioner Adam Silver soon.
After Irving publicly criticized the Kyrie 8 that was meant to be released last season, calling the final product “trash,” Nike and Irving’s relationship was already in doubt. Later, the shoe was given the name Kyrie Infinity, reserving the Kyrie 8 moniker for the current model. After the event, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne stated that Irving’s contract with Nike will not be renewed after the 2022–2023 season and that the Kyrie 8 would be his final pair of shoes with the brand. Nike never issued a denial of that information.
Nike statement on Kyrie Irving reads, in part: “At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism…We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.” https://t.co/ZDmOWQRCs4
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 5, 2022