Today (Dec. 5), Nike announced the company has officially parted ways with Kyrie Irving. The move comes after the Brooklyn Nets ballplayer faced backlash for posting a tweet that contained a link to a movie that many felt promoted antisemitic views.
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the company previously said. So far, neither reps for Nike nor Irving have made any public comments regarding the decision, according to NBC News. The NBA star did share a tweet after but did not directly address the split. “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,” he wrote. News quickly spread on social media.
“Kyrie Irving is no longer a Nike athlete, [a] Nike spokesperson says. The sides have parted ways one month after Nike suspended its relationship with the Nets star. Irving has one of most popular signature shoes in the NBA and is now a sneaker free agent,” NBA insider Shams Charania wrote on Twitter. Last month, Earn Your Leisure shared a post that stated Nike founder Phil Knight felt Irving “stepped over the line” when the 30-year-old shared an antisemitic film on Twitter. The post added that the athlete earned at least $11 million annually through his endorsement with the company before today.
Fans continued to show support for Irving following the news. “Stop wearing Nike. They don’t care about their message or morals. Time to start your own brand, Black-owned and supported by the people who know the truth! We stand with you, Kyrie,” one tweet read. Another person wrote in part, “If I hadn’t already stopped buying Nike products, I would stop buying Nike products.”
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