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Following the Brooklyn Nets' suspension of their star point guard Kyrie Irving for a minimum of five games without pay, the controversial athlete has now been dropped by Nike with his next sneaker release also canceled to that effect.
Kyrie Irving has come under immense criticism over the past week following a post he made on his social media.
The Brooklyn Nets star posted a link to an antisemitic propaganda film that reiterates talking points from the Black Hebrew Israelites, which is listed as an extremist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
To that effect, the Brooklyn Nets have been forced to suspend their star point guard for a minimum of five games without pay.
And not only that, but his sneaker sponsor Nike has also now cut ties with the NBA star as well as cancelled the upcoming release of their next collaboration - Kyrie 8 signature shoe, a long-in-development product that was scheduled for launch this month.
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Nike released a statement that read, “We believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism.
"To that end, we've made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8.
"We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.” as per Reuters.
The sportswear giants have now followed in the footsteps of Adidas who had also dropped controversial hip hop star and fashion mogul Kanye West over antisemitic claims last month.
'Ye' as he's fondly called had accused Adidas of stealing his designs as well and had made some controversial remarks in his interviews while speaking about the brand.
Adidas announced they were conducting a "thorough evaluation" of the relationship, only for them to declare on October 25 that its collaboration with Ye was over and that they would no longer sell Yeezy or pay any money to Kanye and his companies.
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“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech.
"Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness,” they said in a statement.
A host of other brands had also followed suit in cutting ties with the American rapper and now Kyrie Irving could also be in danger of losing further existing deals.
Kyrie Irving Antisemitism controversy
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The controversy actually began last week when Irving posted a link to an antisemitic propaganda film that promoted talking points from the Black Hebrew Israelites, which is listed as an extremist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Supporters of the group were reportedly responsible for the 2019 shooting spree at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City, New Jersey that killed three people.
The film and the book it is based upon recycle a number of historical untruths and Jewish conspiracy theories, some dating back to the long-debunked antisemitic fiction The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, as well as fake quotes from former Nazi leader - Adolf Hitler.
Following instant outrage on social media, Irving deleted the initial tweet, but remained skeptical about issuing an apology during multiple interviews.
He was also heavily criticized by fellow basketball greats Shaquille O'Neal, Reggie Miller, and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar.
However, former Brooklyn Nets coach Amar'e Stoudemire (who happens to be Jewish) said he understood that Irving is curious and seeks out new sources of information, but added, “once you starting putting information out there that’s not true, then now it creates a problem.” as per NJ.
Charles Barkley who is a popular American former professional basketball player and a television analyst on TNT also urged NBA commissioner Adam Silver to take action.
Although Irving himself and the Nets organization have pledged to donate $500,000 each to 'toward causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and intolerance in the communities,' the athlete's refusal to flatly renounce antisemitism during follow-up interviews eventually led the Nets to suspend him from the team temporarily without pay on Thursday.
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