Phil Knight Discusses Kyrie Irving Controversy

Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight discussed the Kyrie Irving controversy for the first time on CNBC.

News

Today on CNBC, Nike co-founder and chairman Phil Knight discussed the Kyrie Irving controversy for the first time. Knight said, "I would doubt that we would go back, but I don’t know for sure.”

Knight added, “Kyrie stepped over the line. It’s kind of that simple, so he made some statements that we just can’t abide by, and that’s why we ended the relationship. And yeah, I was fine with that.”

Knight also provided insight into Nike's decision-making progress. “We look at who we sign and how much we pay, and we look at not only how good the athlete is, but how his or her character (is), so it’s not an exact science, but it’s a process that we go through with a lot of intensity, with a lot of people sticking their hand in it, and that’s one that goes all the way to the CEO because some of the numbers (athletes) are paid are pretty big,” said Knight.

The Nike Kyrie 8 was planned to launch on November 11, 2022 / @Sneakerologue

Background

Last Friday night, Nike announced it was suspending its relationship with Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. Additionally, the launch of Irving's final signature shoe, the Nike Kyrie 8, was shelved at the last moment.

The monumental move by Nike came one week after Irving became embroiled in controversy due to rhetoric deemed antisemitic. Irving is currently serving an indefinite suspension with the Nets and has not played since November 1.

On Monday night, Nike reportedly emailed retailers asking they remove any Nike Kyrie 8 shoes from the sales floor. However, they clarified that older product was still allowed to be sold.

We will keep readers updated as we learn more about this evolving situation. Stick with FanNationKicks.com for all your footwear news.

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