Update (7/19) - - The SpongeBob and Patrick editions of the Nike Kyrie 5 X SpongeBob SquarePants line of sneakers will be released on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.! The sneakers will be available in a variety of sizes and price points: KYRIE 5 ($130), BIG KIDS' KYRIE 5 ($110), LITTLE KIDS' KYRIE 5 ($80), and TODDLER KYRIE 5 ($55)! Scroll down for the latest images of the shoes!
Update (7/23) - The Squidward Tentacles, Sandy Cheeks and Mr. Krabs versions have now been unveiled!
Update (7/2) - A first look of the Squidward edition of the sneakers has been unveiled!
Earlier this year, the shoe model’s namesake, Boston Celtics Point Guard Kyrie Irving told Complex about several TV-themed collabs he had in the works, including a pair linked to SpongeBob SquarePants. That's seemingly been confirmed with this first look at a unique make-up that pulls its palette directly from the cartoon's lead character.
A first-look of the bold yellow pair was shared earlier today via @leo_zd_37 on Instagram, and by the looks of it, it takes clear inspiration from the show’s lead character and his iconic look.
The upcoming Kyrie 5 colorway, dubbed the KYRIE 5 X SpongeBob, features a full yellow-bodied upper with golden dot “spongey” accents decorated throughout to mimic SpongeBob’s porous body. The gum soles feature a red, white and brown scheme that mimics the colors of SpongeBob’s iconic tie, shirt and squarepants combo. Finishing the design is Kyrie’s insignia on the tongue tab, a wavy, sponge style Nike swoosh, and the Nickelodeon logo atop the Flytrap midfoot wrap, all of which suggests that this is an official project.
NBA star Irving and Nike recently released a Kyrie 5 inspired by his favorite show Friends. It's also been reported that Irving is a huge fan of SpongeBob and even quotes some episodes word-for-word in his teams' training rooms. Irving is also slated to be working on a Family Guy edition of Nike Kyrie 5's.
In addition to TV series, Irving also recently released “Mamba Mentality” (for Mamba Day 2019) and “Have a Nike Day” editions of his signature Nike Kyrie 5 silhouette.
As of now, no official photos or release date has been shared for the upcoming SpongeBob SquarePants-inspired Nike Kyrie 5, while the image above isn't even guaranteed to be the final version of the shoe, but Irving initially implied that there would be a Patrick Star colorway, so this pair may be part of a multi-shoe pack in the works. Keep an eye out for updates here as soon as more about this collaboration is announced.
Update (6/13) - It has been confirmed that the Nike Kyrie 5 X SpongeBob SquarePants Collaboration will feature a pair styled after Patrick Star, with Nickelodeon hinting that they'll also be pairs styled on Squidward Tentacles, Mr. Krabs and Sandy Cheeks! New on-foot images of of the SpongeBob and Patrick kicks have also been released!
The "Patrick" Kyrie 5 is highlighted by it's pink construction, yellow midsole and "Patrick Star" detailing behind the tongue. Both the SpongeBob and Patrick kicks come equipped with Nickelodeon branding on the tongue shroud with "NIKE" text on the heel inspired by the show title's font. Release details have not yet been announced, although Nick has revealed that they should be released this summer, so stay tuned for more info. Both have the Nike logo in the SpongeBob SquarePants font on the heel.
Additionally, on Instagram, Nickelodeon has hinted that Squidward Tentacles, Mr. Krabs and Sandy Cheeks will also be getting their own kicks, with the network releasing the famous NIKE ticks stylized after each character!
Continue scrolling for some on-foot images of both Kyrie 5s, as seen on the feet of WNBA stars Tina Charles and Odyssey Sims, as well as the SpongeBob-ified NIKE ticks!:
Update (7/2) - Today we take a look at the Squidward Tentacles rendition, courtesy of former Duke Blue Devils star Nolan Smith!
Just like the SpongeBob and Patrick Kyrie 5s, the Squidward joint comes equipped with Nickelodeon branding on the tongue shroud with "NIKE" text on the heel inspired by the show title's font. Release details have not yet been announced, so stay tuned for more info.
Update (7/16): Today we take a look at the Sandy Cheeks and Mr. Krabs renditions!:
Sandy's and Mr. Krab's colorways adorn the Nike Kyrie Low 2. Each of the Kyrie 5s come equipped with Nickelodeon branding on the tongue shroud with "NIKE" text on the heel inspired by the show title's font. Sandy's colorway draws its white, grey, and brown colorway from her space suit, and adds a dash of signature detailing via a red dot on the midsole and a flower on the midfoot overlay, and Mr. Krabs' color schedule features light jade and soft blue, accented by blue and gold, with a green splat representing Plankton.
The sneakers also feature a Nickelodeon stamp across their Venus Flytrap-inspired lace sheath for co-branded styling.
Release details for the SpongeBob x Nike Kyrie sneaker collection has not yet been announced, but we expect a drop to come sometime this Summer. Stay tuned for more info.
Release details for the SpongeBob x Nike Kyrie 5 collection has not yet been announced, but we expect a drop to come sometime this Summer.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, and Nickelodeon are commemorating 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants with "Best Year Ever", a year-long global celebration of one of the most iconic TV series and characters ever created. The “Best Year Ever” includes with the premiere of “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout,” an original mixed live-action and animated special, and leads up to the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies theatrical, The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge, coming summer 2020.
It’s SpongeBob’s birthday in “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout,” which features for the first time the celebrated voice talent behind SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, Squidward and Plankton playing live-action doppelgänger versions of the animated characters they voice. In the one-hour special, Patrick and SpongeBob journey to the surface world, where they come across a few familiar characters during lunchtime rush at The Trusty Slab restaurant. Meanwhile, the Bikini Bottom residents set up a surprise party for SpongeBob. The special, premiering Friday, July 12, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon USA, also features special guest stars, including David Hasselhoff (Baywatch), Jack Griffo (The Thundermans), Daniella Perkins (Knight Squad), and Kel Mitchell (All That, Game Shakers).
SpongeBob launched July 17, 1999, and has reigned as the number-one kids’ animated series on TV for the last 17 years, generating a universe of beloved characters, pop culture catchphrases and memes, theatrical releases, consumer products, a Tony award-winning Broadway musical and a global fan base.
Nickelodeon also recently revealed plans for a series of SpongeBob SquarePants spin-offs.
“That’s our Marvel Universe,” Nickelodeon president Brian Robbins said in February. “You have this amazing show that’s run for almost twenty years.”
Robbins pledged that the network would still continue to make our favorite yellow sponge. They’re simply looking to expand on the idea.
As far as spinoff options go, Robbins states they may be looking to “tell an original story about SpongeBob and Patrick, or maybe tell a Sandy Cheeks stand-alone story, or can Plankton have his own? I think the fans are clamoring for it.”
KYRIE 5
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
$130
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
Kyrie x SpongeBob SquarePants Collection
In 1999, the world fell in love with an incurably optimistic sponge. 20 years, over 200 episodes and countless memes later, SpongeBob SquarePants continues to inspire joy, connecting with generations of super-fans, like Kyrie Irving. In collaboration with Nickelodeon, the Kyrie x SpongeBob SquarePants collection celebrates Kyrie’s love for one of television’s most memorable shows and cultural phenomenon bringing Bikini Bottom to the basketball court…and beyond!
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants. Who has unmatched handles and loves ’90s TV? Kyrie Irving. Created in collaboration with Nickelodeon, the Kyrie 5 ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ washed up on shore adorned in bright yellow with brown and red accents to celebrate Kyrie’s love for one of television’s most memorable animated series and its porous protagonist. Each pair of the Kyrie 5 ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ is suited for on-court competition and off-court jellyfishing.
BIG KIDS' KYRIE 5
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
$110
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
LITTLE KIDS' KYRIE 5
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
$80
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
TODDLER KYRIE 5
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
$55
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
KYRIE 5
PATRICK STAR
$130
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
Kyrie x SpongeBob SquarePants Collection
In 1999, the world fell in love with an incurably optimistic sponge. 20 years, over 200 episodes and countless memes later, SpongeBob SquarePants continues to inspire joy, connecting with generations of super-fans, like Kyrie Irving. In collaboration with Nickelodeon, the Kyrie x SpongeBob SquarePants collection celebrates Kyrie’s love for one of television’s most memorable shows and cultural phenomenon bringing Bikini Bottom to the basketball court…and beyond!
Patrick Star is an expert at doing nothing, but he’ll do absolutely anything for his best friend SpongeBob. Sure, Patrick Star may not be the brightest in Bikini Bottom, but his loyalty is laudable and his jellyfishing skills are well-known. In collaboration with Nickelodeon, the Kyrie 5 ‘Patrick Star’ shines bright in the sea star’s pink and green tones suited up for the best day ever.
BIG KIDS' KYRIE 5
PATRICK STAR
$110
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
LITTLE KIDS' KYRIE 5
PATRICK STAR
$80
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
TODDLER KYRIE 5
PATRICK STAR
$55
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
KYRIE 5
SQUIDWARD TENTACLES
Squidward Tentacles is a full-time lover of the finer things in life and a part-time cashier at the Krusty Krab who can’t stand his neighbors, SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star. Fortunately, they remain blissfully unaware of Squidward’s bitterness. In collaboration with Nickelodeon, the Kyrie 5 'Squidward' arrives in the iconic octopus’ turquoise tones.*Clarinet skills not included.
KYRIE 2 LOW
MR. KRABS
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
Celebrating the penny-penching owner of the Krusty Krab, the Nickelodeon-inspired Kyrie 2 Low 'Mr. Krabs' arrives in flaming hot hues drawn directly from SpongeBob’s less-than-benevolent boss. The color of money is also featured prominently on the low-cut silhouette, paying homage to the currency-crazy crustacean and his perennial power struggle with his arch-nemesis, Plankton.
KYRIE 2 LOW
SANDY CHEEKS
AVAILABLE 8/10 AT 3:00 PM
Don’t mess with Texas, and definitely don’t mess with roughest, toughest squirrel in Bikini Bottom, Sandy Cheeks. A rodeo champ who is also skilled in karate, Sandy gives Bikini Bottom added edge while serving as SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star’s unfailing friend. Made in collaboration with Nickelodeon, the Kyrie Low 2 'Sandy Cheeks' sports colors inspired by Sandy’s iconic space suit.
SpongeBob SquarePants x Nike Kyrie 5 regular release on August 10th $130
— J23 iPhone App (@J23app) July 18, 2019
SpongeBob -> https://t.co/KxuPRABRD3
Patrick Star -> https://t.co/6cpyMY8kXw pic.twitter.com/DajfRNOwMZ
From GQ:
Kyrie Irving on His New Nike x SpongeBob Shoes and the Best Basketball Players in Bikini Bottom
“Squidward is a shooting guard. He's the most selfish one.”
If nautical nonsense be something you wish, Kyrie Irving has a pair of shoes to sell you. Porous and yellow Irving is not—he’ll be wearing the Brooklyn Nets’ black-and-white next year—but he is a massive fan of Spongebob Squarepants, so much so that he convinced Nike to partner with Nickelodeon and release a collection of shoes inspired by the denizens of Bikini Bottom.
I met with Irving in the leadup to his major free-agency decision, and as I waited for him at the Nike offices in midtown, a TV chyron asked: “WHAT’S GOING ON WITH KYRIE?” The answer? Nothing much, really, aside from regular trips to Bikini Bottom. He arrived wearing a pair of sheen red shoes with a splat of green on the side of the upper: the Mr. Krabs colorway, obviously. The rest of the set was arrayed in front of him: a radioactive pink-and-green Patrick Star sneaker, a SpongeBob-yellow pair with a quivering swoosh, a soft aqua-blue Squidward shoe with Nike written out in Bikini-Bottom font across the heel, and a white model with a single pink flower for the underwater city’s favorite (only?) Texan squirrel Sandy Cheeks.
SpongeBob might seem an odd concept for a shoe collaboration, but strangeness hasn’t stopped the flat-earth-evangelizing Irving yet, particularly when it comes to his sneakers. He’s done a Friends-themed pair, and a more recent “Third Eye Vision” colorway. Irving understands that breaking through the heap of sneakers today requires something a little more bold. “Seeing this stuff on the street is going to be, automatically [snaps], a conversation,” he says. The strategy is working for him: Irving’s shoes were the best-selling signature sneaker line of 2017, behind only LeBron James, according to data from NPD. NPD doesn’t track sales of signature lines anymore but NPD’s sneaker analyst Matt Powell tells me over email my assumption that ranking held last year is likely correct.
I spoke to Irving about his new collaboration (out August 10th, priced at $130), why Mr. Krabs is like Charles Oakley, and the life lessons he took from SpongeBob.
GQ: Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Irving: SpongeBob SquarePants.
You debuted these last night on WNBA players during a game—what made that the right venue to show these off for the first time?
Because that access offered to them is very important and I feel like we [NBA players] have such a deep-rooted connection to really dope stuff. As a creator, you want to see your stuff live in multiple places and the NBA is great in terms of the marketing, but for me I love utilizing other great people from our art.
Starting with the WNBA was a priority on my list. I pushed it with Nike and said, “Hey, let's get these girls first access to this.” And basketball is going right now—obviously, you could choose the Finals, you can choose players in that space, but for me, I love the girls.
Where does your love for SpongeBob come from?
I was there sitting in front of my TV when the first episode dropped. Really just their storytelling.
As a creator I just enjoy what they created as a world in Bikini Bottom, and then how do I make that come to life through characters? And then it ended up being a pack, and then it ended up being a collab, and a partnership with Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon has done unbelievable stuff, they've made unbelievably great shows, but to put it on a shoe, now [it] exists for a long time. This stuff is sitting on people's shelves, this stuff is going off on people's houses.
This is literally a character that was created with a voice on a TV that exists in people's hearts as a connection, and that's all you want.
What do you mean when you say storytelling? What stands out?
The hero concept, as well as the teaching. SpongeBob and Patrick: we never know how old they are, they're grown-ups, they work everyday. But Patrick doesn't have a frickin' job—he's just SpongeBob's best friend. Then you have Squidward who lives across the street, works with SpongeBob, hates that they live across from each other, can't get away from each other. Then you have Sandy, who is really the chill Texan but really has an attitude about her as a woman and holds her own and really challenges everyone. Whether they were going out of the sea or whether they were living without water, she was always challenging them in her own space. She also had to challenge herself to be outside living in water and being in a frickin' spacesuit. She was in a spacesuit underwater! Like, c'mon, man.
So for me it was really about: you can exist in any space that you go in, no matter if you feel like you belong in it or not. These characters are that for me.
What was your relationship to it growing up?
I was hooping a lot, so SpongeBob for me was every day, Nickelodeon at night, watching just countless SpongeBob episodes. It was like, “All right, when's the next episode coming out?” Then there were so many seasons coming out it was like, Whoo! And then I got older, stopped watching as much TV, but the connection was always there.
And it goes deep-rooted to Nickelodeon as well. SpongeBob is a great vehicle to partner with for this, but Nickelodeon itself, it's brand that exists in a whole other space for me. In terms of the shows that they did and the inclusion they had with kids and slime and Nickelodeon Choice Awards. As a kid, you're seeing all these shows—Rocket Power!—and they're coming out with vehicle after vehicle after vehicle. 20 years later and now I'm doing a frickin' SpongeBob collection.
Was part of the allure with SpongeBob that you got to be loud and play with colors?
Yeah, and be very expressive. My brand DNA is really centered around expression, community, and risk-taking, as well as inclusion and compassion for others. I try to be as inclusive, very message-driven with the community, taking risks with other great brands that have been established.
Do you still watch the show?
Not as often as I used to, brother. Not as often as I used to.
You've done two television show-themed shoes. Why does that work for you?
Back to back. Because of what it represents. Let's create something that when you see it on the shelf that will exist on its own. And when you play on the court, it obviously has the performance, it has the innovation. But there's still a sense of individuality. Like, not everyone is going to be wearing this on court [picks up Patrick shoes], not everyone's going to like this color [taps Squidward shoes], not everyone's gonna be a fan of this [grabs Spongebob pair]. So why not create things that you can pick and choose?
You'll wear these on the court?
Yeah.
Do you have a favorite?
My favorite character is SpongeBob. Yellow in itself is one of my favorite colors, just because you gotta be prideful to wear yellow, especially yellow like that. My favorite color is red as well for Mr. Krabs and that's just a homegrown thing—Mr. Plankton and the one eye. All of them, man. Especially Squidward—there are subtle details like the clarinet.
On shoes now, you gotta do some dope creative stuff. You could just put a SpongeBob on a shoe and be like: “SpongeBob shoe!” But we can go a little deeper into the aesthetics and really make it come to life.
What positions do all these SpongeBob characters play on the court?
Squidward is a shooting guard. He's the most selfish one. He just shoots his own shots. He doesn't care what's going on.
SpongeBob is really like... positionless. He can play the 3/4, go to the 1.
Mr. Krabs is like the power forward. He's literally the muscle of the group. He's always giving different business ideas on how to spend money and like, “The Krusty Krab is the best ever!” and he's competing with the Chum Bucket. He's like the Charles Oakley. Weight god who's coming in, but there are also teaching moments in it.
Yeah, Mr. Krabs will definitely mess you up for a basket.
That's what I'm saying. Not that Charles Oakley would do that, I'm just saying in terms of physical experience.
Who is the most talented out of the characters?
Sandy, easy [laughs].
Why do you say that?
She shoots on land. She's never shot on an underwater basketball hoop.
So she's used to gravity?
[laughing] Yeah.
Have you taken any important life or basketball lessons from SpongeBob?
The DNA of why I create is just: be you. He lives in a pineapple under the sea, has a great group of friends, keeps 'em close. There's always lessons within it. I remember the episode where SpongeBob goes to Muscle Beach and he was blowing up his muscles. And they're like, [does a torqued up voice] Are you ready SpongeBob? And he's like [same torqued voice] Yeah, I'm ready! Then his frickin' arms fall off.
He wakes up every single day and it's a new challenge for him and he has to embrace the challenge first and foremost, figure out how his friends fit into that. It's always about who he is and what he represents, but also how the characters all tie into a family. So that's what I took from it as a kid.
More Nick: Nickelodeon Marks 20 Years of "SpongeBob SquarePants" with the "Best Year Ever"!
Originally published: Friday, May 24, 2019.
Sources: Sole Collector, HotNewHipHop (II, III, IV, V), Sneaker News (II), Sneaker Bar Detroit, Cleveland.com, HYPEBEAST, SneakerReporter, Sneaker Bar Detroit (II, III).
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