Kyrie Irving Switches Shoes During Nets Game

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving wore two pairs of Nike shoes during last night's game against the Atlanta Hawks.
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Since returning from suspension, Kyrie Irving has played out of his mind. During last night's game between the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks, Irving scored an efficient 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

While the NBA All-Star makes a statement with his play, he is also using the opportunity to campaign for a new sneaker contract. Following Irving's highly controversial rhetoric, Nike canceled his signature sneaker line before eventually cutting ties with him earlier this week.

During Irving's first game as a sneaker free agent on Wednesday, the embattled point guard wore a pair of his old shoes with tape over the Swoosh Logo and hand-written messages on the sides.

Irving started last night's game in his D.I.Y. shoes before eventually switching to an all-black pair of Nikes sans the tape. Below is everything fans need to know about the kicks Irving wore against Atlanta.

Nike Kyrie 3

View of black Nike Kyrie shoes.
View of Kyrie Irving's shoes / © Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

During the second half of last night's game, Irving wore the Nike Kyrie 3. Irving's third signature shoe with Nike was released in 2016 for $120. While there was a 'Tripe Black' colorway, it was not the same as the shoes Irving wore last night.

The muted colorway looks more like a wear-test sample or perhaps a player-exclusive colorway created during Irving's time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

There were only a few minor visible markings on Irving's Nike Kyrie 3s. The date "1/19" was penned on the left heel. A quick Google search shows that it's the birthday of celebrities Mac Miller, Dolly Parton, and Edgar Allen Poe. 

It's almost certainly not a nod to any of the aforementioned people, so the mystery continues. We will continue to keep fans updated on Irving's first season as a sneaker free agent. Follow us on Twitter and stay locked into FanNationKicks.com.

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Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.