Hot, hotter, Kyrie Irving. The Point Guard of the Cleveland Cavaliers has been on fire since uniting with LeBron James and the Wine and Gold. Best ball handling of the league, legendary ankle breaker skills and historic game winners – this guy is unstoppable! Far away from an average 24-year-old guy, the NBA Finals Champion, All-Star and Olympic medalist keeps on going one better. Thus, Nike and Uncle Drew dropped the highly-anticipated Nike KYRIE 3 in late December 2016, making another impressive step along his promising journey.
Kyrie is not only the crossover killer himself but a shoe enthusiast as well. In close collaboration with Nike did they dedicate themselves to improving Irving’s second signature sneaker. Mission completed! The performance shoe as well as Uncle Drew have proven to be lethal weapons, leaving players and other signature lines in the dust. Thanks to thorough analysis of Irving’s evolving on-court play, the Kyrie 3 possesses the technology that supports the Cavs PG in finite magic moments. His ability to play at any angle on court is ensured due to dynamic traction, flexible support and responsive cushioning. Independent suspension pods at the forefoot and a curved outsole offer exceptional traction and enable Kyrie to be creative on court. Furthermore, the Nike design team integrated a forefoot band with Flywire cables to provide support and a flexible lockdown. The famous strap of the Kyrie 2 belongs to the past, it has been removed from the silhouette of the third sneaker – sorry, sneakerheads! A low-profile Nike Zoom Air unit in the heel must not lack in Uncle Drew’s masterpiece as well, delivering responsive cushioning for all game comfort.
KYRIE 3 (credit: nike.com)
The eye-catching details on the upper however strike the most. Textured spikes on the back half of the shoe give the Kyrie 3 its extraordinary look, providing a sense of speed and swiftness. Inspired by personal details, the sneaker features several hints to Irving’s roots. The “J.B.Y.” logo, as seen on previous Kyries, returns and represents his “Just Be Yourself” motto. Irving has always put emphasis on his beliefs and values, which were among others influenced by his father Drederick. The “H+H” inscription on the tongue was his dad’s message to the NBA player: stay hungry and humble! In addition to that, the roman numerals VIII and XIII, which already adorn Kyrie’s wrists, were printed on the insole. They represent his late mother’s birthday on August 13th. Elizabeth, the name of his mother, has furthermore been engraved outside the visible Zoom Air window on the sole along with his daughter’s name Azurie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNEwBxggb3s
The Kyrie 3 is much more responsive to the player’s movements than previous basketball performance shoes. Whether lightning-quick first steps or razor-sharp cuts, Kyrie’s latest signature sneaker helps finding the perfect gap in the defense to dominate the court. Thanks to the custom fit, players with a variety of positions have already been seen in the third signature shoe. Not only its state-of-the-art technologies but its unique design and creative colorways convince ballers and sneakerheads alike. The Nike design team and Kyrie Irving put a lot of effort and ideas in the color scheme of the sneaker. From ‘Samurai’ to ‘Black Ice’ up to ‘Team Red’, every signature shoe has its own story to tell.
Released on Christmas 2016, the Nike Kyrie 3 “Samurai” came as a real bombshell. The shoes have sold out already, but no worries – according to Nike, the shoes will be hitting stores again soon. The colorway has been inspired by Kyrie’s killer instinct and crossovers. Fast as a blade whooshing through the air, Kyrie kills the defense with a precise and skilled game in seconds. True to the motto, the silhouette features a fierce, blood-splatted dark silhouette and a metallic Swoosh, resembling a deadly Samurai sword. On December 26th, only one day after the release of the popular „Samurai“ colorway, the Kyrie 3 „Black Ice“ debuted. The Black/Total Crimson/Dark Grey/White colorway gives the sneaker a clean look while the sole sparkles with color: Multi-colored stress points adorn the outsole of the shoes. Strong colors are used on the Kyrie 3 „Team Red“, which will be released on January 14th. The Cavaliers‘ Wine and Gold uniform is used as the basis for the red colorway while its gold is ditched for a splash of Hot Punch on the Swoosh as well as on various details on the third model. Last not least, the Kyrie 3 „Hyper Cobalt“ aka „Duke“ is set to hit stores on February 1st. In comparison to the other releases, this one comes in a rather bright and predominantly white-based upper. As done before, the Kyrie line pays hommage to Uncle Drew‘s college career at Duke – even though he was there just for a short time, Coach K‘s influence continues to impact Kyrie‘s game up until now.
Be ready and circle your calendars, on Saturday, January 14th (9 CET), the Kyrie 3 „Team Red“ is coming. Check Kyrie’s third signature bomb here.
For now, prop up your legs and enjoy the Kyrie 3 spot with legendary „The Roots“ instrumentalist, Questlove:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXbiY8oli78&feature=em-uploademail
In cooperation with FIVE MAG!