Few names are as controversial in the world of basketball sneakers as Kyrie Irving. The basketball superstar is not only a free agent in the NBA, but his Nike contract was terminated at the end of 2022.
He now looks set to sign a deal with Anta Sports, a Chinese sports equipment brand, after hinting at a new sneaker collaboration contract on social media.
Kyrie Irving, pictured at the 2018 USA Basketball Camp, is a free agent in the NBA and is set to sign a deal with Anta Sports after his Nike contract was terminated in November 2022 (Credit: SOL TUCKER / INSTARimages)
Kyrie Irving shoes were some of the most successful for Nike. The basketball player recently disclosed on Twitter that the collaboration supposedly generated $2.6 billion in revenue over seven years for Nike.
In a bold move, Kyrie Irving, the enigmatic Dallas Mavericks star, took to Twitter to assert his place among basketball legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.
Formerly partnered with Nike, Irving proudly proclaimed the success of his signature line of… https://t.co/IqWtwozCRJ
— Your Next Shoes (@yournextshoes) July 8, 2023
We’re recapping the Nike x Kyrie Irving collaboration and everything you need to know about the rumors of the next Kyrie Irving shoes coming from Anta Sports.
Kyrie Irving: NBA Superstar and Sneaker Icon
Kyrie Irving is a professional American basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who was recently part of the Dallas Mavericks team.
He was named the NBA’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ after the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him as the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Kyrie Irving is an American professional basketball player who was named Rookie of the Year in 2011 and an eight-time All-Star and three-time member of the All-NBA Team (Credit: NANCY RIVERA / INSTARimages)
Irving is an eight-time All-Star and has been a member of the All-NBA team on three occasions, winning the 2016 NBA Championship with the Cavaliers. Basketball fans and commentators consider Irving to be one of the most skilled ball handlers in NBA history.
He was part of Team USA in the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal. Irving became the fourth member of Team USA to win the NBA championship and the Olympic gold medal in the same year. LeBron James, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan are the only three other basketball players to have achieved this.
Kyrie Irving’s Signature Sneaker Line With Nike
The most popular Kyrie Irving shoes are from his collaboration with Nike. Irving’s Nike deal was estimated to be worth $11 million in 2019, with his sneakers being the brand’s second best-selling line in 2017 after LeBron James.
The Nike x Kyrie Irving range included several successful collaborations with television shows, including the sell-out SpongeBob SquarePants and Friends collections.
Kyrie Irving’s shoe collection for Nike became the brand’s second-best-selling line in 2017
Irving recently claimed on Twitter that his sneaker and lifestyle range generated over $2.6 billion in revenue for Nike over its seven-year duration.
He had been a Nike ambassador from his rookie season until late 2022, when he was accused of antisemitic behavior, given an eight-game suspension by the NBA, and had his Nike contract canceled.
This cancellation put a question mark on the future of Kyrie Irving shoes. Almost 70% of NBA players wear Nike sneakers, with Kyrie Irving shoes being amongst the most popular styles for professional players.
Over 160 players wore the ‘Kyrie 7’ sneakers during gameplay, with dozens more wearing the more affordable Kyrie Low sneakers.
The Nike x Kyrie 7 shoes were worn on the court by over 160 professional basketball players
Nike’s cancellation of Irving’s contract meant that his ninth sneaker – the Nike Kyrie 8 – was not launched. However, there were tensions in the relationship between Nike and Kyrie Irving in the months before his controversial remarks.
Unofficial images of the eighth sneaker in the Kyrie Irving collaboration appeared online in July 2021, with Irving accusing Nike of excluding him from the sneaker’s design process. He also described these Kyrie Irving shoes as being “trash.”
These shoes were eventually released as the ‘Nike Kyrie Infinity’, with Irving wearing the sneakers during his limited gameplay in the 2021-22 NBA season.
ESPN was already reporting in Spring 2022 that an extension of Irving’s contract with Nike was unlikely to be agreed beyond the NBA’s 2022-23 season.
The Kyrie 8, Kyrie Irving’s 9th sneaker with Nike, was eventually released as the Nike Kyrie Infinity
Nike x Kyrie Irving x SpongeBob Squarepants
The most popular and sought-after Kyrie Irving shoes come from his Nike collaboration with the SpongeBob Squarepants franchise.
It featured five of the most popular characters from the show reimagined in the Kyrie 5 and Kyrie Low 2 silhouettes.
The Nike x Kyrie Irving x SpongeBob Squarepants shoes reimagined in the Kyrie 5 silhouette
SpongeBob, Sandy, Squidward, Patrick, and Mr. Krabs were transformed into Kyrie Irving shoes with individual color palettes that reflected the character’s personalities.
The SpongeBob and Patrick sneakers each featured hand-drawn character names on the tongue of the sneakers.
The Kyrie Irving Squidward sneaker in Kyrie 5 and Mr. Krabs and Sandy sneakers in the Kyrie 2 Low style
These Kyrie Irving sneakers are amongst the most expensive on the second-hand market, typically retailing for at least $300 to $400, depending on the character sneaker you’re searching for.
Kyrie Irving Leaves Nike for Anta: What You Need to Know
The next Kyrie Irving shoes are expected to come as part of a collaboration with the Chinese sports brand Anta Sports. It’s the world’s largest purely sports equipment company and the third largest for sporting goods, after Nike and Adidas.
The rumors of Anta Sports x Kyrie Irving shoes began after Irving was spotted wearing the Anta Shock Wave Pro 5 sneakers at his annual summer basketball camp.
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Anta sponsors several NBA players, including Gordon Hayward and Klay Thompson, both of whom have sneaker collections with the brand.
While no official collaboration has been announced, Irving teased an upcoming sneaker collaboration on Instagram in June 2023 before being seen in the Anta sneakers.
Why do Kyrie Irving shoes have an 11/23 on them?
The Nike Kyrie Flytrap 5 sneakers featured an ‘11/23’ sewn on the shoes. These numbers represent the date that Irving’s daughter, Azurie Elizabeth Irving, was born in 2015.
The 11/23 mark sewn on the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 5 represents the birth date of Kyrie Irving’s daughter Azurie Elizabeth Irving
Are they still selling Kyrie Irving shoes?
Nike no longer sells Kyrie Irving shoes after ending its contract with the NBA player in November 2022.
After the contract cancellation, the brand quietly released a final colorway of the Nike Kyrie Low sneakers in February 2023. The final Nike Kyrie Low 5 in ‘Wolf Grey’ was launched on 1st February 2023.
Nike released the final colorway of the Kyrie Low sneakers, Wolf Grey, in February 2023
While you may still find some Kyrie Irving shoes at Nike outlets and retailers, the final few styles will be leaving the shelves shortly.
The best way to get Kyrie Irving x Nike sneakers is by shopping from reliable second-hand retailers specializing in collectible sneakers.
How much are the Kyrie Irving Nike shoes?
The Kyrie Irving Nike collection featured eight signature sneakers that were released, with the ninth style being shelved after his contract was contracted. Most of the Kyrie Irving shoes retailed for $140 in adult sizes.
While you may get lucky and find the final Kyrie Irving x Nike sneakers in outlets, you can expect to pay at least the sticker price for these shoes on second-hand markets like StockX and Goat. The special collaboration with SpongeBob Squarepants is amongst the most expensive Kyrie Irving shoes.