SoleGRIND
| 👟 Sneaker Release Info | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Nike |
| Model | Nike Kyrie 6 |
| Colorway | Pre Heat |
| Style Code | CN9839-401 |
| Release Date | November 11, 2019 |
| Retail Price | $130 |
| Available At | Nike.com |
Kyrie Irving’s connection to the number 11 runs deep. His dad wore number 11. Kyrie wore it in high school and with the Nets. “K” is the eleventh letter of the alphabet. “Kyrie Irving” is 11 letters. He played 11 games at Duke. He was drafted round 1, pick 1 in 2011. So when Nike designed the Kyrie 6 Preheat collection, they went all in on the number, releasing 11 city-exclusive colorways that dropped on November 11, 2019.
The 11 cities represented were Beijing, Berlin, Guangzhou, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Miami, New York City, Shanghai, Taipei, and Tokyo. Each shoe was exclusive to its respective city, which made collecting the full set nearly impossible unless you had connects in every corner of the globe. Nike also added a “Heal The World” colorway that was widely available, bringing the total to 12 releases. Every pair retailed for $130.
The NYC colorway, style code CN9839-401, hit different from the rest. It used a navy blue upper with yellow and gold accents, a nod to the city’s subway signage and street culture. The outsole featured a colorful traction pattern that tied back to the city’s energy. If you were in New York on November 11th, this was the pair you wanted.
The Miami colorway, CN9839-404, went with a coral and orange upper sitting on top of a light blue outsole. Pure South Beach energy. The Art Deco vibes were unmistakable, and the color blocking made it one of the most photogenic shoes in the entire pack.
Los Angeles got the CN9839-101, which came through with an olive green upper and a camo-patterned outsole. It was a more understated look compared to Miami and NYC, but the military-inspired aesthetic gave it a distinct LA street culture feel.
Tokyo, CQ7634-601, was one of the wildest in the collection. Bright blue upper with red, yellow, and multicolored accents on the outsole. It felt like anime and pop culture had been compressed into a basketball shoe. The energy was electric, and it stood out even among the other Preheat colorways.
Shanghai, CQ7634-303, brought a white base with gold and purple accents. It had a regal, refined look compared to some of the louder entries in the pack. The Shanghai colorway felt like it was designed for the city’s blend of tradition and modernity.
The Kyrie 6 silhouette itself featured a midfoot strap with a raised triangular pattern, a translucent collar panel with an Eye of Horus graphic, and a textured rose-like heel counter. The traction was specifically designed for Kyrie’s unpredictable, herky-jerky playing style, with multi-directional pods that gripped the court in every direction. Each Preheat colorway got its own unique outsole color treatment, making them all distinct on foot.
The Preheat collection was a brilliant marketing move by Nike. City exclusives create hype, the number 11 theme tied everything together, and the quality of the colorways was consistently high across the board. Some of these still pop up on the aftermarket, with the NYC and Tokyo pairs being the most sought after.
