Six Kicks With Kyrie Irving
It went down at in Melbourne last weekend! Johnny Law was called in to control the hoards of ball fans queued up to get some touch time with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar, Kyrie Irving. The Melbourne-born NBA numero uno draft pick was getting the Bieber fever treatment and he appreciated it, hanging out with the homies and giving his cheque writing hand a heavy workout. We managed to score some time with the NBA All-Star/Rookie of the Year/Three-Point Shootout champ and talk his six key kicks...
As a rising superstar in the NBA, I am sure by now you have a sneaker collection with its own area code – but do you remember that first pair?
I honestly don’t remember the very first shoes I bought myself. Thinking back though, I was a massive fan of Jordans, I’m still a big fan to this day. I loved that shit as a kid.
A lot has changed since those childhood days, including a sponsorship that has landed you on Team Swoosh. Does your allegiance still reside with Jordan over Nike?
Allegiance?
I’m a Star Wars fan!
It would definitely be Nike, purely just based based off of a performance perspective. When Jordan was playing back in the day, and his shoes were releasing for the first time, it felt as though everything that came out had a lot more cushion in them. Now they kind of just replicate the looks and not the performance part. I could never play in retro Jordans. These days you rarely see NBA players playing in retro Jordans, based off a comfort standpoint. I remember a lot more cushioning in the shoe when I was playing. You know, I am not that old, but when I was probably about 11 or 12, I wore the AJ8s all the time, and I had the AJ1s and they were just comfortable to wear on or off the court. Day in, day out comfort.
What was your favourite colourway of the Air Jordan 8?
The black red joints are my favourites.
If you had to wear one sneaker to live out the rest of your days, beating it to hell and back and loving every minute of it, what sneaker would it be?
For me, right now it would have to be the Stefan Janoskis. I have a lot of colourways in that shoe and I have designed probably about 50 of them on NIKEiD. Back at my house in Cleveland I have 50 of them sitting there, I just go through them like that (clicks fingers), ‘cos in the summer I skate, so I go crazy on it.
OK, let's say you’re going to a big party, you want to snap some necks and cash some cheques, what sneaks are show stoppers for you?
What big party?
The big neck snapping party?
Well if it’s not Nike, and I am out just wearing my personal shoe, it’s gotta be some Louis Vuitton. That’s the shoe I like to wear when I go out, but in terms of getting fresh and casual, probably my Stefan Janoskis, I wear them anywhere and everywhere.
You’re walking down the street, a member of the opposite sex catches your eye, you stop, she’s got style, shes 5’9 and damn fine – what sneakers is your dream girl rocking?
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton?
Louis Vuitton!
The Holy Grail, the mother of all sneakers – what don't you have that you've always wanted in your collection?
I am not too sure of the actual name of them, but I have wanted them since I was real young, I think they may be the Air Jordan 7s,black with tropical colours.
The ‘Citrus’ Air Jordan 7?
I have never had a pair of those. I have seen plenty of people wearing them and I have had a chance to get them before, for some reason I just never got them!