The 8th signature shoe of Kyrie Irving was leaked recently and it is already at the centre of controversy as Kyrie Irving has publicly stated he had no involvement in the design or marketing of the shoe, calling it “trash”. Despite Kyrie Irving’s distaste towards his newest signature shoe, it is likely Nike will continue to work towards releasing it. And with the leaked images, we can have an early look at what the Kyrie 8 will offer.
Upper
Starting with the upper, the Kyrie 8 uses synthetic “fingers” to wrap over the tongue area for improved lockdown when the laces are tightened. Other than the lacing system, the overall silhouette resembles the Kyrie 6 with the forefoot area and rearfoot area being divided with the use of performance mesh and suede.
Midsole
The cushion system on the Kyrie 8 has taken the largest leap compared to its predecessors as it will be the first main Kyrie line to feature two Air Zoom units. The Kyrie 8 will feature a rectangular Air Zoom unit on the heel and a large circular Air Zoom unit on the forefoot. The image of the Kyrie 8’s strobel showed the forefoot Air Zoom directly attached to it, leading us to believe that the Kyrie 8 may feature a Air Zoom Strobel unit.
Outsole
The outsole is similar to the Kyrie 7, where a “data-informed” traction pattern is used along with an aggressive outsole curvature to support Kyrie’s shifty and low-to-the-ground playstyle.
Sources: Instagram/@sneakerhighway23
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