John Kim 
On Wednesday evening, Nike Basketball penned a new chapter in their exhilarating odyssey of signature shoes. The title of this one? Kyrie Irving. Born and raised in Australia and bred by a former pro baller himself, Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Kyrie Irving was officially unveiled as the next signature athlete for the Nike Basketball – the 20th in the brand’s history and the first since Kevin Durant debuted for the brand six years ago. Irving is now among the ranks as a true star in the league with the mass appeal that can touch millions of hoops fans and sneakerheads around the world – a true reflection of what Nike searches for in an athlete that represents their logo on a heightened level. For the night, the Swoosh planned out a string of events to debut the Kyrie 1, and we have the full recap for you here.
A special event was held in NYC with host Kenny Smith and special guests Penny Hardaway and Charles Barkley – both of whom are regarded as relevant and influential in the sneaker community and for the brand that produces their shoes. Their words of advice to the newest member of Nike signature athlete club include maintaining humility and authenticity, but the former #1 overall pick already possesses those character-defining traits. Now, he has a high-performing sneaker designed with his unique on-court style of play in mind (another hit by Leo Chang), and starting at $110, we can only draw comparisons to the beginnings of Kevin Durant’s signature line and project the KYRIE line to experience the same rise to incredible success. Check out our recap from the event below and stay tuned for detailed galleries of the Nike Kyrie 1 as well as an interview with the man himself.
The Nike Kyrie 1 debuts in late December with a retail price of $110. The Kyrie 1 Is currently available on NIKEiD.
Upon entering the clandestine event space, Nike instantly delivers a message as a precursor to what’s in store.
An incredible showcase of debut signature shoes line the walls as well as a special showcase at the center of the room. Basketball, skateboarding, baseball – Nike will honor the right athletes regardless of the sport.
The newest logo in the Nike Basketbal signature athlete archives.
Kenny Smith leads the charge with special guests Penny Hardaway and Charles Barkley. The latter two are also signature athletes with Nike, but their legacies are particularly special in that they continue even after retirement.
Father Drederick watches as his son Kyrie does his best to express the ineffable emotions that come with being named a Nike signature athlete.
Father and son post with the Nike Kyrie 1. The shoes debut later this month at $110, but are available on NIKEiD right now.
A nice pose for the camera during a catch-up chat. We’ll have an interview feature later this week.
Before being a signature athlete, Kyrie was a fan of the shoes. He instantly gravitates toward the Nike Zoom Kobe 1, but shows some added interest to the Koston.
Don’t reach, young blood! Kyrie plays some one-on-one before the wear-test begins.
