Kyrie Irving Covers Up Nike Logo, Writes “I AM FREE” On Signature Shoes Following Split w/ Apparel Company

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving Covers Up Nike Logo, Writes “I AM FREE” On Signature Shoes Following Split w/ Apparel Company

Looks like NBA star Kyrie Irving isn’t too bothered about getting dropped from Nike.

During his Wednesday night ( Dec. 8) basketball game, the Brooklyn Nets point guard stepped out in his signature shoe with a message, days after his partnership with Nike was axed.

Sending a clear message to the sneaker brand, and possibly signaling other shoe lines willing to work with the athlete, Irving wrote on the shoes:

“I AM FREE Thank You God…I AM”

The other side of the shoe, which featured a black piece of tape over the Nike logo, read:

“Logo Here”

Back in November, the retail conglomerate announced that its partnership with Irving was paused indefinitely. The 30-year-old athlete has been steadily under fire for tweeting out a link to a documentary some felt was “antisemitic.”

Irving received a lengthy suspension from the league, along with a list of stipulations prior to his return. Many celebs, including Nick Cannon and Lebron James, felt the strict conditions were excessive and spoke out in Irving’s defense.

However, Kyrie was still required to complete the list of items before the Brooklyn Nets permitted him to play again and returned a few weeks after. Ultimately, Nike decided against launching the basketball player’s forthcoming “Kyrie 8’s” sneakers and subsequently ended the partnership altogether.

Now, it seems that Irving may be on the hunt for the next big name willing to buy into his shoe brand. Reportedly, the NBA champ switched to another pair of his Nike-launched shoes mid-game with the logo scribbled over in black ink.

After the game, Irving has been mostly silent about the shoe reveal. However, the basketball star urged people not to “turn a blind eye” when things seem off, writing:

“Nah, don’t turn a blind eye to anything fishy going on in our world. Say something”

[VIA]

What do you think about Kyrie’s situation with Nike? Tell us in the comments.