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“I Am That Guy”: Having Raised $2.6 Billion With Nike, Kyrie Irving Puts Himself Next to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James

Published 07/02/2023, 9:30 PM EDT

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The sneaker culture and basketball go hand in hand. The great Michael Jordan is often credited as the creator of this mammoth culture. However, there were several athletes before him who had deals with shoe companies. Regardless, it was MJ who brought the giant named Air Jordan to the world. Since then, athletes from every generation have had their own shoe line.

Recently, Kyrie Irving bragged about having brought billions of dollars worth of sales through his shoe line. Not just that, with his social media post, he also put himself alongside greats like MJ, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

Kyrie Irving compares himself with the other greats of the game

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Before Jordan came into the picture with Nike, brands like Adidas and Converse used to rule the market. However, when Nike signed a rookie at the time to their brand, things started changing. With the marketing strategy and the image that His Airness had in public, Nike’s sales skyrocketed, crushing every competitor. While he was still playing for the Chicago Bulls, Jordan brought in record sales year after year. After his retirement, the brand Jordan didn’t lose its relevance as they kept signing new and exciting athletes to the roster. Kobe and LeBron are two of the biggest athletes signed to the brand.

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As the years passed, signing to Jordan became part of every elite athlete’s journey. The sneaker culture wave was boosted the most by Jordan and Nike and it continues today in full swing as well. Recently, O’Shea Jackson Jr, son of legendary rapper Ice Cube, posted a question on his Twitter profile. “Besides Mike. Kobe. And Bron. Who got the highest-selling signature shoes ?” asked Jackson Jr.

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Replying to his tweet, Irving wrote, “My signature line made the previous brand I was with over 2.6 Billion in Revenue the past 7 years.” Irving said that he is not being “arrogant” as the kids who grew up buying his shoes will tell the same story. “respectfully I am that guy because of the Support WORLDWIDE,” he added.

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What are some of the most popular shoes of all time?

The Athletic had posted the list of the 25 greatest sneakers of all time. The list was two folds, one with the sneakers committee ranking and another with the reader voting. In both lists, MJ and Kobe were in the top 3 spots. LeBron was #2nd in the committee rankings, but in the reader’s list, he was at #6th. Whereas Irving secured the #5 spot in both rankings.

Read More: Millionaire Businessman Shaquille O’Neal Once Nearly Got Fired From Billion Dollar Pizza Chain for a Huge Reason

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Kyrie Irving’s Inferno and Infinity series are among his most popular shoes.

Watch This Story: Michael Jordans Career earnings: did he earn more money from the NBA than his peers like Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen?

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Written by:

Prateek Singh

918Articles

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Prateek Singh is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports, known for his insightful coverage of the league. With a deep passion for basketball fueled by the late Kobe Bryant's championship runs, Prateek has built his writing career on astute analysis and a firm understanding of the game. His transparent reporting and dedication to providing quality content have earned him credibility and respect among readers and industry professionals alike.
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Edited by:

Debmallya Chakraborty