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Nike said late Friday it was suspending its relationship with NBA star Kyrie Irving, the latest fallout after the basketball player shared an anti-Semitic video on social media and for days refused to apologize for or deny anti-Semitism.
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of anti-Semitism,” the company said in a statement. “Therefore, we have made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer be releasing the Kyrie 8.” The Kyrie 8 shoe was set to release this month, according to industry publications.
“We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone,” Nike said.
Nike’s reprimand comes a day after the Brooklyn Nets suspended Irving for at least five games without pay, saying he was “currently unfit to be associated” with the organization after sharing an anti-Semitic film, “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” on social media. The Nets said Irving would be suspended “until he complies with a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct.”
“We were dismayed today, when given the opportunity at a media briefing, that Kyrie refused to say unequivocally that he does not hold anti-Semitic beliefs, nor to acknowledge specific hate material in the film,” they said the Nets in a statement Thursday after Irving’s appearance on the news. conference “It wasn’t the first time he had the chance, but he couldn’t clear up.”
Jonathan Greenblatt, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League, described the news conference as a “debacle,” adding that the ADL could not “in good conscience” accept the $500,000 Irving had agreed to donate to causes against hate the day before.
Irving had refused for days to acknowledge or apologize for the anti-Semitism before writing on Instagram Thursday afternoon that he “posted a documentary that contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives and language that were false and offensive to the Jewish race/religion.”
He said he took “full responsibility and accountability for my actions,” adding: “To all Jewish families and communities hurt and affected by my position, I deeply regret having caused you pain and apologize.” He said he “initially reacted out of emotion to being unfairly labeled as anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish brothers and sisters who were hurt by the hateful comments made in the documentary.”
Irving has a history of controversy. He was open about his refusal to receive a coronavirus vaccine and New York City’s vaccination mandate. The tiff led the Nets to banish Irving for more than two months last season. Irving said at the time that it was “not a political thing,” but “about my life and what I’m choosing to do.”
The Nets, consumed by Irving’s controversial behavior and mired in a slow start this season, recently parted ways with coach Steve Nash.
Irving’s suspension by the Nets and the fall of Nike comes after Adidas cut ties with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, after he repeatedly made anti-Semitic comments on social media. Experts have warned of increasingly blatant anti-Semitism at a time when incidents of harassment, vandalism and violence targeting Jews have been at their highest level in decades.
Ben Golliver contributed to this report.