Brooklyn Nets basketball player Kyrie Irving was dropped by sneaker giant Nike earlier this month after he tweeted a link to Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America!, a film that some considered anti-Semitic.
Now, according to The Sports Rush, the NBA player and his agent have met with the designer and owner of the Black-owned company, SIA Collective
, about a partnership for his signature sneakers. SIA Collective, which stands for Somewhere In America, is owned by Delvin Carter and has almost 400,000 followers on Instagram. The brand has loyal “supporters” who contribute to selling out every shoe that the company releases.“Kyrie Irving’s agent & managers have met with Designer & owner of the Black owned shoe company SIA Collective discussing a potential partnership after Irving’s departure from Nike’s shoe deal. – Black Millionaires Exclusive!”
The CEO of Black Millionaires, James Hill, also addressed the possible partnership on his YouTube page. Hill, who stated that he had a direct conversation with Carter, went into detail about what was discussed between the two parties.
BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that, according to ESPN, Nike released a statement to the media that said, “Kyrie is no longer a Nike athlete.”
Shetellia Riley Irving, who represents Irving as his agent, also released a statement saying that the decision to sever ties was a mutual one.
“We have mutually decided to part ways and wish Nike the best in their future endeavors,” she informed CNBC at that time.
The Brooklyn Nets had previously suspended the mercurial New Jersey native for eight games, stating that Irving was “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets” for his “failure to disavow antisemitism,” after NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed disgust and criticized Irving for not offering “an unqualified apology.”