Getty Kyrie Irving brings the ball up during a matchup with the Indiana Pacers.
For those who may be tardy to the party, sneaker giant Nike officially parted ways with Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving on December 8. The decision came as a result of the backlash the 7-time All-Star received for posting the link to an anti-Semitic film in October. Irving had one of the most prominent signature lines under the brand’s umbrella since the first edition dropped in 2015.
Now officially a sneaker free agent, all eyes are on the Nets star to see what brand he will turn his attention to next. NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports says that the Nets star already has a long list of suitors.
“Kyrie Irving, last week, did draw the attention of New Balance as well as Puma and others,” Robinson said on December 15. “I can tell you that last week, Irving and his representation did meet with independent sneaker owner SIA, and there’s no imminent decision on whether or not Irving and his team will sign with the company. But I’m told everybody is paying attention to the Nets’ point guard. Everybody’s reached out, and that’s including, I’m told, Adidas and others.”
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@ScoopB says several brands have their sights set on Kyrie for a future deal 👀
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Benson: Kyrie, Under Armour ‘Perfect Fit’
While Robinson did list rival sneaker brand Adidas as one of the brands that are interested in pursuing Irving, it would be a regressive move for them to add the Nets star to their list of signature athletes. They already have a roster of talent that includes the likes of Trae Young, Damian Lillard, and Donovan Mitchell, all of who are younger and have been All-Stars more recently than Irving has.
But one brand that could make sense is not a household name. That would be Under Armour, who has two of the league’s most popular superstars Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid on their roster. Pat Benson of Sports Illustrated believes Under Armour could be a “perfect fit” for Irving.
“Under Armour lacks street cred for most hoopers. Some fans perceive the American company as more of a football or baseball sportswear brand. Their basketball shoes have gone viral for the wrong reasons on more than one occasion. However, that could make the pairing a perfect fit. Under Armour has two signature athletes – Joel Embiid and Stephen Curry. And the latter recently spun off his own sub-label, the Curry Brand,” Benson writes.
“Under Armour would benefit from Irving’s popularity and cache among basketball fans. The company’s tech is perfectly fine; they just need an infusion of hype from someone.”
Dinwiddie Details Independent Sneaker Route
Now that Irving is officially a free agent on the sneaker market, most major brands are salivating at the opportunity to ink the star guard to a deal, likely a lucrative one. But if we have learned anything about Kyrie over the last couple of seasons, it is his willingness to go against the norm. The Nets star could go a completely different route and start his own sneaker brand, similar to what former Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie has done.
While Dinwiddie remains happy with his decision to go independent, he warns that it is a process that you have to be “passionate about” for it to be a fulfilling journey.
“It has to be a journey that you’re passionate about. If you’re looking for quick money, it might be a little bit difficult. But if you’re actually passionate about the intricacies of shoes & you’re willing to form the right relationships,” Dinwiddie told “Scoop B” on December 14.
It will be interesting to see what sneaker brand Irving signs with next.