The relationship between Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving and sportswear giant Nike is probably over for good, according to the company’s co-founder, Phil Knight.
“I would doubt that we go back,” co-founder Phil Knight said in an interview that aired Thursday, according to the Associated Press. “But I don’t know for sure.”
Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman emeritus of Nike, attends the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 11, 2019, in Sun Valley, Idaho. Every July, some of the world’s most wealthy and powerful businesspeople from the media, finance, and technology spheres converge at the Sun Valley Resort for the premier weeklong conference. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Nike announced on Nov. 4 that it suspended the NBA player, who has been suspended by his team for what they called a repeated failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.”
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech, and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the Oregon-based company said at the time. “To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8.”
A player for the Ohio State Buckeyes holds a Nike basketball while warming up before the start of the game against the Robert Morris Colonials at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on November 7, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
“Kyrie stepped over the line,” Knight added this week. “It’s kind of that simple. He made some statements that we just can’t abide by, and that’s why we ended the relationship. And I was fine with that.”
Irving was suspended on November 3 for five games for refusing to say “unequivocally” that he holds no antisemitic beliefs. The suspension came on the heels of a tweet he posted touting a movie based on an antisemitic book.
However, days later, the team added that Irving would have to meet six conditions to return to the team, hinting that his suspension could last longer than five games.
The team reportedly told the player that he would have to meet these conditions:
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- Apologize and condemn the film he promoted
- Make a $500,000 donation to anti-hate causes
- Complete sensitivity training
- Complete antisemitism training
- Meet with the ADL and Jewish leaders
- Meet with team owner Joe Tsai to demonstrate an understanding of the situation
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