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Amidst $11 Million Nike Contract Loss, Kyrie Irving Drops 29 In Skechers and Hanes Socks

Samir Mehdi
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Amidst $11 Million Nike Contract Loss, Kyrie Irving Drops 29 In Skechers and Hanes Socks

Kyrie Irving finally returned from his multi-game suspension this past Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies in a 127-115 win. He dropped 14 points and looked to get back into the groove of things. As expected, he went off for a light 29 points last night against the Raptors in yet another win for the Brooklyn Nets. 

The Nets are currently on the surge up, with them being a win away from having a .500 record. So, getting Irving back is quite a huge boost for the team. Him apologizing for his tweet about the antisemitic movie on Amazon led to him being reinstated back onto the team and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. 

Though, one thing that has been in the background of this entire debacle of Irving’s has been being let go by Nike. His contract upon signing it in 2011 was reportedly worth at least $11 million. They would however, drop him after everything that’s transpired in the past month.

Also read: “Never Seen Anything Like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in 2016 Finals!”: Stephen Curry Was in Awe While Cavs Completed 3-1 Comeback

Kyrie Irving wore all-black Skechers and dropped 29 points 

Knowing Kyrie Irving, it truly doesn’t matter what shoes he’s wearing as he’ll be getting his buckets in regardless. Following his fallout with Nike, he was seen sporting all-black Skechers against the Raptors with, according to Twitter, Hanes socks on. 

This is quite interesting as he would actually wear his all-red Kyrie 1 colorway during his Memphis game. So, it’s clear that he’s still allowed to wear Nike shoes and has no problem in doing so. However, with him being a sneaker free-agent, he seems to be wanting to explore his options. 

It’s highly unlikely that Skechers of all brands will look to build high-tech basketball shoes for Kyrie Irving. Though, it is incredible to see that Irving is such a high-level player that he doesn’t need all the fancy Zoom Strobel units, Cushlon, and all that to be effective during an NBA game 

Kyrie Irving has had ‘beef’ with Nike before 

Last year, Kyrie Irving took to his Instagram to publicly shame Nike for not consulting him on the design of the Kyrie 8 model. He would call them ‘trash’ and apologize to hoop shoe fans for the shoe that would be released. 

This shoe would be rebranded into the Kyrie Infinity and despite the 6’3 guard’s harsh words, would actually be considered one of the best shoes for guards this year. The most notable player in the league to constantly wear them is Darius Garland with his signature pink and white colorway.

Also read: “Joe Tsai Is Being Unprofessional With Kyrie Irving”: Shaquille O’Neal Condemns Nets Publicly Stating Irving’s Tasks Amid Antisemitism Controversy

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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