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“Let the Party Begin”: Millionaire Kyrie Irving, Who Lost $17 Million Revenue Stream, Breaks Silence on Cutting Ties With Nike

Published 12/05/2022, 10:38 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

All the controversy surrounding Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving went on for quite a few weeks. He had to face suspension which in turn led his team to suffer. Irving faced a lot of backlash on social media and lost one of his biggest revenue streams. Nike had suspended their relationship with Kyrie Irving and now the two have officially parted ways.

Irving signed with Nike way back in 2011. He has had a signature shoe of his own since 2014. Nike and Irving had dropped a total of eight editions of his signature sneakers with different colorways over time.

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Nike and Kyrie Irving finally call it quits

But now that the two have finally decided to part ways, Kyrie Irving is a sneaker-free agent. Though there are quite a few brands out there that Irving could sign with, the feeling may not be mutual from the other side. But it’s too early to tell.

USA Today via Reuters

Irving finally broke the silence on Nike dropping him and his contract with them. The seven-time All-Star sent out a series of tweets as soon as Shams Charania came out with the update.

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The tweet Kyrie sent out was a gif saying, “Let the party begin.”

The next tweet came the next day where Irving said, “Anyone who has even spent their hard-earned money on anything I have ever released, I consider you FAMILY and we are forever connected. It’s time to show how powerful we are as a community.”

And then he followed that tweet with another one right in a matter of minutes with, “To my Tribe: I am because you are. I pour libations and pray for all of my people today and everyday. I am. Hélà.”

 

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Irving continued to help people

Kyrie Irving and Nike had a decade-long partnership that came to an end due to his controversial posts and comments. Everyone blamed Irving for his actions and really dragged his name through the mud.

But even while being suspended, Irving continued to help people in any way he could. The former NBA champion donated large amounts of money to victims of violence who had lost someone dear to them.

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Watch This Story – Top 5 performances from 30-year-old Kyrie Irving during glittering NBA career

He pulled up to a school in New York to donate money and so much more. This was done all the while Irving’s past charities were continuing to do their work. Kyrie Irving is a humanitarian. And even after losing about $17 million due to his sneaker deal, he still had the people’s best interest at heart.

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Written by:

Abhishek Dhariwal

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Abhishek Dhariwal is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He earned his bachelor's degree in English Honors from St. Xavier's College and his master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from AAFT School of Mass Communication and Journalism.
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