1. AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE
This shoe takes inspiration from high-end architecture from Australia, which is Irving’s homeland. Whereas most sneakers nowadays all seem to go for the same things as inspiration, this is a nice change of pace. Before he started lacing Michael Jordan with heat, Tinker Hatfield was working as an architect. Maybe the Kyrie line will find the same success?
2.COLORWAYS
Just from the launch of the new shoe earlier this season, we could tell this silhouette was going to be unleashed in a variety of loud colorways. Irving’s game is deserving of that too, considering the way he often JUMPS out of you. His handle. His highlights. His clutch buckets.
We can’t wait to see what Nike has in store for us with Irving’s PEs. Related to that…
3. NIKEID
…are the capabilities Nike is giving us with this sneaker in NIKEiD. Think about this. We’re talking 19 base colors. We’re talking 21 accent colors, including glow-in-the-dark capabilities. We’re talking five outsole options, customization, and even differing lacing options. That’s insane.
The colorway seen here was worn by Irving during an earlier game this season in Brooklyn. But on your own you can probably cook up something even better.
4.LOGO
Most of today’s sneaker logos are just clumsy, awkward, or annoying. Very few offer the simplicity of things like the Swoosh or the Jumpman. But Kyrie’s logo? It’s very solid and offers a great base to play off of. Representing Irving’s inner strength and desire to learn, the logo is small and low-key, and that helps it to pop off the tongue of this shoe. I can dig it.
5.THE PLAYER
Kyrie Irving is one of the most exciting players I’ve ever seen. His ball-handling isn’t just lightning fast, deceptive and explosive. It’s unique. I’ve never seen anyone dribble the way this cat does. Jason Williams was different. Allen Iverson was different. Irving puts his own unique spin on things, literally, and his stutter-step dribble might be the most devastating new move of the last few years.
He’s not the greatest player right now — Irving still has his flaws — but out of those who could conceivably help carry Nike through the next generation, Kyrie makes the most sense.
