Nike suspends ties with Kyrie Irving following antisemitism controversy

Nike is suspending its ties with Brooklyn Nets player Kyrie Irving after the point guard tweeted a link to an antisemitic film, the athletic conglomerate announced Friday, and will no longer release any products bearing his name.

"At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism," the company said in a statement shared by ESPN. "To that end, we've made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8."

Nike added that it was "deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone."

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The decision from Nike comes after Irving was condemned for sharing a link on Oct. 27 to the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America. The film, which is presented as a documentary, is filled with numerous antisemitic conspiracy theories and widely promotes Holocaust denial, The New York Times reported.

Irving initially refused to apologize for promulgating the film, but later reversed course and claimed he was "learning" from the situation.

Irving's deal with Nike, which was set to run through 2023, was worth an estimated $11 million per year, Forbes reported. This is not the only loss of salary that he will feel, as the Nets also suspended Irving for five games without pay following the incident, saying he was "currently unfit to be associated" with their team.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also issued a statement disavowing Irving's post and his initial refusal to apologize.