Kyrie 1

Traction-First Guard Debut

Kyrie 1 released in 2014 as the start of Kyrie Irving's signature line and one of Nike's clearest guard shoes of the decade. Nike built it around low-to-the-floor speed, razor-like traction and a simple forefoot Zoom setup built for sharp changes of direction, which says a lot about where the line and the player were at that moment. In community memory, the pair is usually discussed for its bite, court feel and instant popularity with guards. That makes it important beyond simple specs: it captures a specific phase of Nike Basketball thinking about cushioning, containment, weight, durability and visual identity. Collectors still bring it up when later models move in a different direction, and performance-minded hoopers still use it as a reference point for how Nike separated quickness-oriented signatures from LeBron-style maximalism.