Kyrie Irving is surely a player who attracts a lot of attention whether it is on or off the court. Besides his mad ball-handling skills, one of the most interesting aspects of his game (at least for us) is his footwear.
With every new model, we’re getting a different story, and his lucky 7s are not an exception!
We bet you already read all about the different models of his signature line in our previous blogs Kybrid S2, Kyrie Low 3, or Kyrie 6 to name the latest ones. Now is the time for something fresh.
When designing the number 7, Kyrie expressed his wishes with a simple sentence:
“I need a shoe that can keep up with my mind.”
This is why the designers focused on the details that will support Kyrie’s fast breaks, cut-throughs, and quick stops and aspired to create a shoe that will allow him to be unpredictable and creative in his movement while still maintaining control.
So let’s see what the Kyrie 7 has to offer!
1) TRACTION
Like some of his previous models, the sole wraps the shoe’s sides to extend its durability especially for players who, like Kyrie, tend to drag the foot behind on their crossovers. But the traction pattern is something completely new, something you’ve never seen before. Nike designed it with the help of the NXT design studio, a computational design process that turns real-time game data into a 360-degree traction pattern, unique to each player.
2) LOCKDOWN and STABILITY
The strap from the 6s was replaced by two TPU “fingers” on the lateral and medial sides of the foot. Interestingly, it symbolizes an exercise that Kyrie’s dad used to give him: leaning against the wall on just two fingers in order to strengthen his hands. The outer lateral sides feature bumpers that help with containment on quick cuts. They also added some padding on the heel which will be a welcome addition for those of you who like to wear their shoes tightly.
3) FLEXIBILITY
The upper is made from 3 layers of mesh material that provides breathability and flexibility where needed. It also offers more options when it comes to design.
4) CUSHIONING
The cushioning on the Kyrie 6s obviously worked for Kyrie as the design team with the leading designer Ben Nethongkome kept it with the 7s. The soft feel is (still) provided by the forefoot Air Zoom Turbo unit which allows a smooth heel to toe movement and is very responsive.
Other small but sweet details feature:
- the reduced weight of the shoe,
- 7 “teeth” on the side of the outsole represent the number of the model,
- quote dedicated to late Kobe Bryant, who was Kyrie’s mentor and role model,
- a very unexpected design of the inside of the shoebox,
- and some other details that we’ll let you discover on your own.
Nike will drop 4 of the Pre-Heat colorways on November 11 (11.11. – sounds familiar?). Each of them reflects some of what serves as Kyrie’s inspiration: music, art, movies, and sports.
In GB, we’re expecting the first colorway on November 12! Check out our offer HERE >>