Sometimes you get so carried away in competing between your closest friends and loved ones that you ruin a friendship or relationship over something that wasn’t even worth it and could’ve been avoided.
There may be a little friendly competition on and off the basketball court, but when it comes to business, point guard Kyrie Irving doesn’t believe in friendly rivalries. Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Irving is one to say the entire team is mainly sponsored by two of the biggest sneaker brands, Nike and Jordan.
Irving released his first signature sneaker with Nike in 2014 and his shoes have been on fire ever since, leading him to release a Kyrie 2 and 3 with the brand. Recognized for being such a hot commodity, Nike granted him the opportunity to be a part of their annual Black History Month collection, which celebrates black heritage in sports. The February BHM collection will remain its legacy, playing with the monochromatic aesthetics its known for having, featuring the colors of black and white, with small hints and accents of gold, which enriches the beauty of their silhouettes.
Kyrie marks being apart of the BHM team as yet another milestone he’s been able to accomplish in life, and one that’s near and dear to who he is and his culture.
“Personally, it’s definitely more than just a movement,” he told Complex. “It’s more or less the truth that I’ve been living my entire life. Being able to not only celebrate just the month, but the lives of people who have come before me.”
The Cavs point guard is proud to be a part of the Nike family and honored for having the chance to partner with the company to release his very own sneaker collections. His BHM sneaker is set to release on February 16.
Although his teammate, Lebron James, is also under Nike’s umbrella and has his own collections with the brand as well, the business will never break their friendship.
Irving recently demonstrated the true meaning behind being a team and why it’s important to push one another to be the next big thing, not arch nemesis, in a recent interview with Complex.
“There could never be a rivalry there cause ultimately we’re under the same roof,” he said. “We try to push one another brand-wise and the play on the court takes care of itself. The way we push our brands and the way we push our team is something second to none, and Nike does a great job of allowing us to be designers and be in control of it.”
