‘These are TRASH and nothing to do with me!’: Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving slams Nike for their new signature sneaker after photos leaked online – despite raking in $11m a year in endorsements from them
- Irving took shots at Nike in the comments of a post leaking the Kyrie 8 sneaker
- He said: ‘IMO these are trash… Nike plans to release it without my okay regardless of what I say’
- Irving signed with Nike in 2011 and his shoe deal is among the top 10 most lucrative the company offers
- Fans on social media said ‘not going to buy k8’ while critics told Irving to stop ‘biting the hand that feeds you’
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving called Nike’s latest signature sneaker, the Kyrie 8, ‘trash’ after photos of the shoe leaked online.
A sneaker fan posted the photos on Instagram and Irving commented: ‘I have nothing to do with the design or marketing of the upcoming #Kyrie8, IMO these are trash!’
The 29-year-old point guard makes $11million per year in endorsements from the mega-brand but had ‘absolutely nothing to do with’ the black and silver sneakers.
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, 29, took shots at Nike’s latest signature sneaker, the Kyrie 8, after photos of the shoe leaked online – despite makes $11million per year in endorsements from the mega-brand
A sneaker fan posted the photos on Instagram and Irving commented: ‘I have nothing to do with the design or marketing of the upcoming #Kyrie8, IMO these are trash’
His fiery shots at Nike highlight the disconnect between superstar athletes and the brands that sponsor them.
‘Nike plans to release it without my okay regardless of what I say, so I apologize in advance to all of my sneaker heads and true supporters of the #KAI11 brand,’ Irving added.
Irving’s shoe deal with Nike is still among the top 10 most lucrative the company offers, with 2019 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo earning $10million, Kevin Durant making $26million and LeBron James raking in $32million.
The point guard’s fiery shots at Nike highlight the disconnect between superstar athletes and the brands that sponsor them. The Kyrie 8 sneakers (not pictured) are not for sale yet but Nike may now want to reconsider their plan of action. The brand has yet to comment
Irving signed with Nike in 2011 and his past designs ranked in the brand’s top sellers. Nike CEO John Donahoe called out Kyrie 7 as a top performer shortly after hitting store shelves last year.
The Kyrie 8 sneakers are not for sale yet but Nike may now want to reconsider their plan of action. The brand has yet to comment.
Meanwhile, fans on social media have a lot of comments. ‘C’mon Nike you’re better than this… or are you?’ a user asked on Instagram.
‘Not going to buy k8,’ another said as users on Twitter praised Irving for letting them know they shouldn’t waste their money on the shoe.
Critics said Irving shouldn’t have signed the Nike contract in the first place. ‘Classic Kyrie. Keep biting the hand that feeds you,’ one user said.
Irving is certainly not the first NBA superstar to not like his own signature sneaker. Michael Jordan didn’t like the ‘Devil colors’ of the black and red Air Jordan 1s at first glance and LeBron James demanded a complete do-over of the LeBron 6.
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