Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Andrew Irving is a professional athlete in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Currently a guard on the Brooklyn Nets, the 29-year-old has a signature sneaker line with North American conglomerate, NIKE, Inc.

Born on March 23rd, 1992 in Melbourne, Australia, Irving entered the NBA as the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after only playing 11 games with the Duke University Blue Devils. He was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers, which he stayed with for six seasons before leaving to the Boston Celtics in 2017. A year prior, the 6′2 guard helped secure a historic victory in the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, winning his first NBA ring alongside LeBron James.

Having quickly cemented himself as one of the most exciting players to watch upon entering the League, Irving received his first signature sneaker–the Nike Kyrie 1–on December 24th, 2014. Spearheaded by Nike Basketball Footwear Design Director Leo Chang, the sneaker featured a mid-top trim and consisted of a composite textile cover atop a mesh base. The model’s inaugural colorway comprised of an eye-catching “Black/White/Bright Crimson/Anthracite” palette, and was dubbed “Dream” as a nod to Irving finally actualizing his aspirations to play in the NBA. Zoom Air-cushioning made its way into the design, and has become a staple of Irving’s signature sneaker line. Since 2014, seven models have released under the Nike Kyrie banner, with the latest aptly named the Nike Kyrie Infinity. All mainline options from Irving’s signature collection have maintained a similar shape, with some propositions introducing a mid-foot lockdown strap or other overlays. The Nike Kyrie Low and Nike Flytrap series, however, have added diversity to the one-time NBA Champion’s footwear roster, boasting different materials and design details.

Irving has incorporated his personal interests into his line of sneakers, partnering with Boston’s Concepts for Nike SB and Egyptian-inspired styles; Nickelodeon for a “SpongeBob SquarePants” collection; and the Swoosh for nods to Kobe Bryant‘s influential Nike Kobe collection. Furthermore, Irving has utilized his Nike partnership to honor Native American communities across the U.S. via the Nike N7 initiative, as well as shining light on WNBA athletes the likes of Sue Bird under the “#KeepSueFresh” series of shoes.

In 2019, Kyrie Irving joined the Brooklyn Nets as point guard. Throughout the 2020-21 NBA season, however, the New Jerseyite has focused on scoring, allowing teammate James Harden to “run the floor.” With a roster also including Kevin Durant, Joe Harris and Blake Griffin, Irving was well on his way to win his second NBA ring, but he ended up playing just 54 games due to an assortment of reasons. Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Irving made headlines for his refusal of the COVID-19 vaccination, which has impeded him to play with his Nets squad. The release schedule for the Nike Kyrie 8 – officially the Nike Kyrie 8 – however, seemingly hasn’t been impacted by the guard’s decision to stay off the hardwood.

In December of 2022, Kyrie Irving and Nike’s partnership suddenly came to an end a month after putting their relationship with the then Nets guard on suspension. Irving’s relationship with The Swoosh, however, had already been up in the air as the two had not yet agreed upon a new contract extension after his original deal was set to expire at the end of the 2022-23 season. After Irving posted a link to a film with anti-semitic views in early November, the aforementioned decision was fast tracked with the brand announcing that the Kyrie 8 shoe would be pulled from store shelves and online product pages. All future marketing efforts surrounding the pair were nixed as well.

After spending a year and a half in “sneaker free agency”, Irving inked an industry-shifting five-year deal with Chinese brand ANTA. Irving’s newly-formed partnership also included the title of Chief Creative Officer for ANTA Basketball, allowing the now Dallas Mavericks point guard the ability to sign other athletes, artists and catalysts. Irving began the 2023-2024 lacing up the ANTA Shockwave Pro 5 before officially unveiling his first signature shoe with the brand, the ANTA KAI 1.

Kyrie Irving

The ANTA KAI 1 “Artist On Court” Restocking On Kyrie Irving’s Birthday

The next chapter of Kyrie Irving shoes is already off to a hot start, with the ANTA KAI 1 “Artist On Court” a sellout event...

By Matt Varga 11 hours
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Only 323 Pairs Of The ANTA KAI 1 “Sneaker Verse” Are Dropping

With the ANTA Kai 1 proving a sell-out proposition, the Dallas star’s first signature shoes with the Chinese brand are suddenly a hot commodity in...

By Matt Varga March 12, 2024
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Where To Buy Kyrie Irving’s First Signature Shoe With ANTA – The KAI 1

Updated March 5, 2024: The ANTA Kai 1 “Artist On Court” arrives March 6th in men’s sizing ($125.) Just ahead, you’ll find an additional suite...

By Sneaker News February 27, 2024
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Kyrie Irving Joins KICKS CREW As Chief Community Officer; First ANTA Signature Shoe Releasing 2024

After officially announcing his five-year partnership with ANTA this past summer, Kyrie Irving has sported the Chinese brand’s flagship on-court silhouette in an extensive range...

By Jared Ebanks December 11, 2023
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The Best Sneakers From NBA Media Day 2023-24

The 2023-24 NBA Season is just a few weeks away and promises to be just as contentious as last year. From championship contenders stockpiling star...

By Jared Ebanks October 2, 2023
24363

Kyrie Irving Signs Five-Year Deal With Chinese Brand ANTA; Named Chief Creative Officer

Over half a year since officially ending his partnership with Nike, Kyrie Irving has found a new home for the next five years. Kyrie Irving...

By Sneaker News July 11, 2023
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Kyrie Irving’s Scrapped Nike Kyrie 8 “All-Star” Appears On eBay

After sharing a film plagued by anti-semitic views, Kyrie Irving was officially cut off by the Swoosh, ending a long-running partnership that dated all the...

By Sneaker News March 28, 2023
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A Look Back At A Decade Of Nike’s Black History Month Collection

Each February since 2005 Nike has celebrated both the advancements and heritage of African-Americans through the brand’s universal language, kicks. What once was a simplistic...

By Jared Ebanks February 28, 2023
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Nike’s Relationship With Kyrie Irving Is Officially Over

A month after Nike placed their relationship with Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving on suspension, NBA Insider Shams Charania confirmed today that the Beaverton-based brand...

By Jared Ebanks December 5, 2022
4647