Nike Kyrie 1

About

The Nike Kyrie 1 debuted in December 2014 as Kyrie Irving's first signature shoe with Nike, making him the first Nike athlete in six years to receive one and just the 19th basketball player signed in the brand's 42-year history. Lead designer Leo Chang headed the project with contributions from Jason Petrie and Peter Fogg, building a shoe around Irving's quickness and tight-cut playing style. The silhouette sits three-quarters height, between LeBron's high-cut and Kobe's low-cut signatures, and uses a Hyperfuse upper with layered mesh for breathability plus a forefoot Zoom Air unit for responsiveness. A jagged "teeth" pattern along the sidewall, inspired by the Sydney Opera House, doubles as a traction element. Irving wove personal details into the design, including his mother's birth and death dates on the outsole, a "JBY" (Just Be You) motto behind the Kyrie logo, and a hidden "H and H" (hungry and humble) message. The debut "Dream" colorway released December 23, 2014, at a retail price of $110, referencing Irving's childhood dream of playing an NBA game on Christmas Day, which came true when Cleveland played Miami that year.