About a month ago, Kyrie Irving made headlines for the all the wrong reasons once again. Irving shared the link to a controversial documentary carrying antisemitic connotations. The Brooklyn Nets star received a lot of flak after his post went viral. Even his franchise suspended him for a number of games.
However, it seems like Irving’s woes have not yet ended. Recently, Nike ended their partnership with the 30-year-old guard due to his actions. And the seven-time All-Star had a cryptic message for his former partners after the news broke out.
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Irving is going through a similar treatment as rapper, Kanye West. The Donda Artist had been in the face of wrath ever since his Paris fashion show antics. The claims were along the same path. Kanye West came under the hammer for his allegedly antisemitic remarks. The rapper lost a huge chunk of his net worth in just one day. His biggest loss being none other than Adidas cutting ties with?his brand, the Yeezys.
In the case of Irving, the Nets guard has made up for his actions in more ways than one. However, it seems those actions weren’t enough in the eyes of Nike. Even after KAI made his return to the court, the leading sports brand revealed they are ending ties with him. The Nets guard’s reaction to the news was a seven-word mysterious message.
Kyrie Irving loses partnership with Nike
A couple of hours ago, NBA insider Shams Charania shared the shocking news on Twitter. Citing a Nike spokesperson, he revealed that Kyrie Irving is no longer an athlete for the brand. This comes a month after the swoosh suspended the former All-Star game MVP following the controversy. And it seems now they took the final step in regards to one of their most popular athletes.
As one of the premier athletes of the company, Irving will surely lose millions from the lost sponsorship. However, his reaction suggested a sense of relief upon being let go by the multi-billion dollar brand. “There’s nothing more priceless than being free,” Irving shared on his Twitter.
— Chief Hélà 🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) December 5, 2022
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It surely marks the end of an era as far as Kyrie sneakers are concerned. The 30-year-old was arguably one of the most creative athlete designers. He signed with the brand in 2011, with a reported $11 million annual endorsement deal.
During his decade-long relationship with Nike, Irving came out with eight signature sneakers. His ninth was due to come out to the public in November, the month of the unfortunate incident. The Brooklyn Nets guard even donned the unreleased shoe multiple times this season.
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Now, Kyrie has no commitment to any brand. As a sneaker-free agent with a knack for design, many brands could be in contact. However, his antisemitic tag might keep them thinking twice about moving ahead.
Do you think the seven-time All-Star will get a deal soon? Let us know your views in the comments below.