The Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is no longer in an endorsement relationship with Nike Inc. NKE, the company told Shams Charania of The Athletic on Monday.
Irving shared a link on Twitter to a film with antisemitic material, and moved a few weeks later. After Irving shared the link, the Nets suspended the All-Star guard and Nike announced that it was suspending its relationship with him.
Nike said at the time that there was no place for hate speech and that they condemn any form of antisemitism. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone. Cristiano Ronaldo will join Saudi club Al-Nassr for a historic $210 million per season.
Irving was one of five NBA players who had a signature shoe deal with Nike and had one of the brand's most popular basketball sneakers. Many NBA players have endorsements with Nike, but only the top players, like Irving, get their own signature shoe.
Charania later reported that Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant is in line to get a signature from Nike in the near future.
In the weeks after Irving posted a link to the antisemitic film, Nike founder Phil Knight was critical of the Nets guard.
Knight said Kyrie stepped over the line. It is kind of that simple. In 2011, Irving signed with Nike when he was drafted into the NBA and secured his first signature in 2014. His annual earnings from Nike were at least $11 million, according to ESPN.
Irving is a shoe free agent now that his Nike deal has ended.
See also: Tom Brady, Steph Curry and Kevin O Leary are going to lose big from the bankruptcy filing of FTX.
Irving has lost millions of dollars over his off-court endeavors. According to Spotrac, he forfeited more than $13 million of his Nets salary for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID 19 in 2021. He suggested that the number was much higher while speaking at a Nets media day in September. Irving said that I gave up four years, $100 million, and decided to be unvaccinated.