Nike Cancels Kyrie 8 Release, Suspends Relationship with Kyrie Irving

Nike recently announced that they’re suspending their partnership with Kyrie Irving, while also canceling the release of the Kyrie 8.

The fallout from the Kyrie Irving turmoil has reached a new level, with Nike announcing that they are suspending their relationship with the Brooklyn Nets star. Moreover, the Swoosh brand also mentioned that they have canceled the launch of the Kyrie 8, which was supposed to be Kyrie’s latest signature shoe with the sneaker company. This Nike decision comes after the antisemitic controversies that marred Kyrie’s name in the past several days.

In a statement released by Nike, they said that their brand doesn’t tolerate “hate speech” and “any form of antisemitism.” This is a very unfortunate development for both parties, especially with Kyrie’s Nike contract expiring soon. The Nets’ star point guard signed with Nike in 2011, right after he was selected as the top overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Kyrie Irving eventually made a name for himself, ranking among the best guards in the league even at a young age. Nike saw his potential in the market and released Kyrie’s own signature line in 2014.

Kyrie Irving has also established his name in the sneaker industry, as his signature line is currently one of the top-grossing basketball sneakers in the world. It remains to be seen if he could still fix his relationship with Nike, or if he could still come back to the Nets’ roster after the team suspended him for at least five games. The bright spot is that Kyrie already apologized for his shortcomings, so it’s interesting to see how things will develop moving forward.