“Kyrie 9s are not what Kyrie Irving fans deserve!”: NBA sneaker fans sound off as Nike damn near botches 6’2″ Nets star’s last sneaker

Kyrie Irving has always had epic signature shoes – Nike may have just made the last Kyrie with the Kyrie 9.

The curtains may be soon coming down on a 9-year relationship between Nike and Kyrie Irving. The Brooklyn man has been wearing the American sportswear brand ever since he came into the league, following in the footsteps of his idol, Kobe Bryant. He has had some of the best-selling sneakers of all time because of his attention to detail.

The former Cavs and Celtics star has always made it a priority to have great tech for an affordable price. His shoes have always had the best traction and the most mobility. Most of the NBA swear by them too, because his signature line is the most worn just behind Kobe. In a world where people are obsessed with Jordans, Irving disrupted the scene.

But the last two models have failed him, miserably. The latest model has a lukewarm response in terms of first impressions. Going by his waning popularity, his sneakers aren’t doing any cartwheels to mitigate the slide. What makes these manufacturers release the most boring colorways first, nobody has a clue.

Selling a new product in its best package possible is Marketing 101. Why put out a hospital beige-looking shoe and expect it to sell out? Nike, do better.

Also Read: “Nike made the Kyrie 8 look like something that should belong on the shelves of Footlocker!”: The Sports giant manufacturer refuses to pay heed to the former champion’s latest grievance

The Kyrie 9 model looks okay – by no means is it his best shoe, nor do we have confirmation if he approves of the design

The Brooklyn man has never been shy of speaking his mind – the Nike Kyrie 8’s were however a debacle. How a sportswear giant can release a whole signature line without the athlete’s approval is beyond understanding. The man is the first and only source of promotion for the sneakers, and he was the first one to say they sucked.

The Kyrie line has always been performance focused and very grippy. The Kyrie 9 however seems to have taken a different route, with it taking more hints from lifestyle models. It looks more like a runner than a Basketball shoe from certain angles.

Naysayers shall be everywhere, and for this shoe, they’ve got a lot of them. Nike does not have any indication to extend Kyrie’s deal, and Puma is waiting to swoop. If they do, he’d dethrone LaMelo Ball in the blink of an eye.

If the Kyrie 9 is the last shoe of a historic lineup, then they should give it a nice send-off. Some epic colorway or a nice performance to commemorate a nine-year relationship.

Also Read: “Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving breaking apart just to rekindle Lakers – Celtics rivalry”: NBA Twitter gets excited to revisit the Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson glory days as KD to Boston rumors catch fire