The fallout from Kyrie Irving’s tweet, and subsequent refusal to apologize, has been swift. On November 3, the Brooklyn Nets announced that they would be suspending Irving for five games, and also outlined a list of tasks the athlete would have to complete before being reinstated to the team. “Irving’s reinstatement included a public statement recognizing the film is antisemitic, an apology for supporting the film and the falsehoods within it, and training sessions on the dangers of hate speech,” sources told ESPN. And while it’s unclear whether Irving has accepted the terms laid out by the Brooklyn Nets, his partnership with Nike seems to be officially over.
In a November 10 interview with CNBC, Nike co-founder Phil Knight revealed that the company’s deal with Irving is mostly likely over. “I would doubt that we go back,” Knight said. “But I don’t know for sure.” Knight went on to add that the NBA star simply “stepped over the line,” preventing the company from continuing their partnership with the athlete.
