May 21, 2026
Is Kyrie Irving’s SpongeBob x Nikes Signature Sneaker A Future Goldmine?
The NBA baller is banking on his signature sneaker to significantly appreciate
Kyrie Irving, a 9-time NBA All-Star and a current guard for the Dallas Mavericks, is banking on a Nike 2019 signature sneaker to appreciate significantly in resale value over the next two decades. Irving equated his SpongeBob x Nike Kyrie 5 basketball sneakers to a “Sotheby’s art piece” in a recent interview with Nice Kicks, an online sneaker company focused on providing news and sneaker history to sneaker enthusiasts.
In the interview, Irving, 34, said he “prayed” owners of the limited-edition sneakers kept them out of harm’s way.
“I pray that you have those SpongeBob kept up somewhere safe… I’m telling you right now, those shoes will be worth something in the next 10-20 years.”
Irving’s cultural currency as a highly visible member of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2011-2017 is partially responsible for the nostalgia of the 2019 sneaker release, Irving’s fifth signature Nike sneaker. During Irving’s time in Cleveland, the Cavaliers regularly appeared in the NBA finals, including three times in 2015, 2016, their lone championship year, and 2017. The Nike brand signed Irving in 2011, and his first-ever signature shoe, the Nike Kyrie 1, was released on Dec. 23, 2014, according to BallerShoesdb, an NBA shoe database. According to a 2023 report from Yahoo!, Irving’s signature Nike sneaker line became highly profitable.
Stock X, an online marketplace for exclusive sneakers, currently has each 2019 sneaker colorway listed at an average resale price teetering toward $400. If Irving’s earlier remarks are to become prescient, sneaker collectors will certainly only drive the price north. Stock X released its “State of the Market” report in 2019, which stated that the secondary sneaker market was $6 billion.
Grand View Research, a business consulting firm, released a Sneakers Market report in 2023. Using historical data from 2018 to 2022 to project the sneaker market size from 2024 to 2030. The report states that by 2030, the projected sneaker market size will reach $128.34 billion, up from $92.19 billion in 2023.
Though the sneakerhead era has been highly profitable, NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe spoke to The Business of Fashion, a global media company covering news, analysis, and advice on fashion, which raised the alarm about resellers unable to sell expensive sneakers. It’s worth a listen. Irving thinks the totality of what goes into making a signature sneaker is where the value is derived, telling Nice Kicks, “…it’s not just the product itself. It’s because of who’s behind the design, the teamwork, and the moment.”
Irving’s annual endorsement deal with Nike, which ended in 2022, was believed to be north of $11 million, according to multiple reports.
In 2019, Irving’s Nike collaboration with Nickelodeon began while Irving was a member of the Boston Celtics. Irving’s time with the Celtics would soon come to an end. On July 7, Irving, a free agent, would sign with the Brooklyn Nets. Irving’s contract was for four years and $142 million. On Aug. 10, a few months later, the official SpongeBob x Nike line, including colorways inspired by the children’s cartoon characters SpongeBob, Patrick Star, Mr. Krabs, Sandy Cheeks, and Squidward, would be released.
In July of 2023, Irving signed a sneaker deal with the Chinese sportswear brand ANTA for five years, according to a recently published article on Sports Illustrated’s Kicks On SI. Irving released his latest sneaker and third signature basketball sneaker with ANTA, the KAI3, in January of 2026. The fanfare around the release of the sneaker speaks to Irving’s continued popularity off the court.
On the court, NBA fans and, assuredly, Irving enthusiasts might note that Irving hasn’t played a game in the NBA since March 3, 2025. Irving is recovering from a tear in his left anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL. In fact, NBA fans and sneaker buffs will no doubt remember last January when Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry debuted Irving’s new signature sneakers, a touching gesture in a road game against the Dallas Mavericks.
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