Nike Drops Kyrie Irving, Cancels Kyrie 8

[Celerity]

Phil Knight Says Nike Relationship With Kyrie Likely Over

This article was originally published on November 7, 2022. ​Update November 11, 2022: Phil Knight has waded in the Kyrie Irving controversy this week, the Nike founder saying the Brooklyn Nets point guard ‘stepped over the line’ by sharing an anti-Semitic documentary to his social channel.

https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/news/nike-drops-kyrie-irving-cancels-kyrie-8

‘I would doubt that we go back,’ co-founder Phil Knight said in an interview with CNBC that aired Thursday. ‘But I don't know for sure’. The comments come after Nike suspended their ties with Kyrie Irving, and slammed the breaks on the launch of the Kyrie 8 (originally scheduled to arrive this week). Kyrie has also been suspended by the Brooklyn Nets for at least five games; he has missed four already. ‘Kyrie stepped over the line,’ Knight said. ‘It's kind of that simple. He made some statements that we just can't abide by and that's why we ended the relationship. And I was fine with that.’

Kyrie Irving continues to generate news headlines for all the wrong reasons, the masterful and mercurial point guard this time creating furore by ostensibly showing support for the controversial documentary, Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America. Re-tweeting the documentary to his millions of followers last week, the film has generated backlash for its overt anti-Semitic content. Nike have subsequently dropped the NBA champion, halting the release of the upcoming Kyrie 8 – scheduled to launch next week. It’s a significant move from Nike, with Irving's signature line undoubtedly one of the most popular league-wide.

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[nycbos]

1. I am Jewish I feel like the Kyrie situation is a no win situation.

We lose by engaging it because it amplifies the already a large audience he has on his disposal due to social media. But we also lose by ignoring it because history has showed us ignoring open bigotry comes with very negative consequences.

On one hand I think it is good that Nikki is canceling his shoe contract because there should be consequences for Boyer and antisemitism. But I also were you risk turning him into a martyr. And he has shown that he is very good at playing the victim card.

[gratuitous]

2. Phil oh-so-pious Knight

Weren't you just donating a shit-ton of money to the campaigns of Betsy Johnson and Christine Drazan trying to buy the governorship of Oregon? Johnson and Drazan may not be quite as far down in the gutter as Kyrie Irving, but they've both got some baggage labeled bigotry they're carrying around.

[Sky Jewels]

3. Yeah, talk about stepping over the line...

F@#$ both Knight and Irving.