Kyrie Irving recently spoke about his 2019 SpongeBob SquarePants x Nike collection, and his message to anyone who still owns a pair was pretty clear. He thinks those shoes are going to be worth a lot of money down the road.
"I pray that you have those SpongeBob kept up somewhere safe," he said. "I'm telling you right now, those shoes will be worth something in the next 10 to 20 years."
The original collection dropped in 2019 as part of a Nike x Nickelodeon collaboration built around the Kyrie 5 silhouette. The pack included five colorways, each one representing a different character from the show. SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Gary all got their own shoe.
At the time, the collection was already popular. Some pairs sold out quickly and moved well on the resale market. That being said, Kyrie seems to think the long-term value hasn't peaked yet.
It's worth noting that Kyrie is now with ANTA, so he no longer has an active Nike deal. Looking back on that collection with some distance, his comments read more like appreciation than anything else.
Kyrie Irving On His SpongeBob Collab
The Nike Kyrie 5 SpongeBob SquarePants collection came out in August 2019. It was a full character pack, with each shoe themed around a specific Bikini Bottom resident.
The SpongeBob colorway used bright yellow with blue accents and character details on the upper. The Patrick Star version went pink and green. Squidward's shoe came in a light blue and grey palette. Sandy's colorway leaned into earthy tones.
Gary's pair featured a soft lavender and pink combination. Each shoe included character-specific graphics, themed insoles, and branded packaging. The collection covered both adults and kids sizing, which helped it reach a wider audience at launch.
Kyrie's prediction isn't that far-fetched when you look at how the market treats collaborative collections over time. Character-themed Nike packs from that era have held value better than most expected.
Overall, only time will tell if Kyrie's prediction comes true or falls flat.
