Earlier this week it was announced that Kyrie Irving's fourth signature shoe with Nike, the Kyrie 4, would make it's retail debut this Saturday, December 16th in a "Confetti" colorway.
Today, Nike has officially revealed the story behind that sneaker and provided a detailed breakdown of the shoe that the Boston Celtics' All-Star point guard will be wearing on the court moving forward.
According to Nike, Irving carries around a piece of confetti from the last game of the 2017 NBA Finals as a constant reminder of how it felt to fall short of victory. The Confetti colorway honors Kyrie’s win-or-learn mentality.
As for the specifics of the shoe, the Kyrie 4's zig-zag flex grove enhances traction and response from side to side.
“I need to identify a spot and get in and out of it without loosing my balance,” says Irving. “Being able to pivot off my spot and have balance in the shoe, regardless of where my foot hits the court, is essential.”
The material choices and blocking are influenced by Irving’s interest in vintage Nike and Jordan silhouettes — a passion shared with Kyrie 4 designer, Benjamin Nethongkome. However, knowing that today’s icons are showcased in 15-second mobile video clips rather than static posters, Irving and Nethongkome stressed the need to create colorways and blocking that "spark a memory."
“We want specific things that stand out and spark a memory and draw people back. They don’t need to want the shoe right then and there, but they need an initial spark in 30 seconds,” Irving explains. “The blocking is one of the things we discussed, to isolate parts of the shoe and bring them to life. That’s something I want within the shoe and it extends the details of this masterpiece.”
The Kyrie 4 "Confetti" launches at House of Hoops locations in Boston, Cambridge, Harlem and Wayne, New Jersey, as Irving laces up when the Celtics play the Jazz in Boston at 7:30 pm ET. The colorway will also release December 16th on SNKRS and at select retailers.
Additionally, Nike will release a more toned down "Black/White" colorway, which will be a general release, on December 20th for $120.