Nike Kyrie Flytrap Men's Sneakers

From a silhouette standpoint, the original Flytrap was similar to the Kyrie 1. The traction teeth climbing up to the midsole recall the Kyrie 2, but with a less eccentric presentation. The rounding of the outsole is different from that on the Kyrie 3, but similar in the sense that it goes further around the shoe than its signature-line predecessors. And the lightning-shaped slash in the outsole traction mimics the Flex Groove experiment from the Kyrie 4. The Flytrap also includes a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot, a staple of the first four Irving signature shoes.

While the Kyrie 5 pivoted to the Air Zoom Turbo unit, the Flytrap 2 (first released in February 2019) stuck with the smaller profile of the Zoom Air unit. But the Flytrap 2 borrowed the notion of adding a heel counter, which was new in the signature line with the Kyrie 5. The traction patterns that previously climbed up from the outsole to the midsole were scaled back in a comparatively traditional presentation, but the rounding was still present. And the giant oval on the outsole actually presages a similar look on the Kyrie 6's outsole.

The Flytrap 3, first released in late 2019, took even more inspiration from the Kyrie 6. The strap over the laces and the use of different materials for the vamp versus the upper are direct callouts to similar changes made from the Kyrie 5 to the Kyrie 6. The Flytrap 4, which debuted in late 2020, adds an internal forefoot band similar to the Kyrie 3 and swaps out the heel counter for a molded collar.

The Kyrie Flytraps have been released in fewer colorways than their Signature line counterparts, but some notable releases drive collector demand. For the initial Flytrap run, one of those was the "Grinch" colorway (AJ1935-300). Irving has been known to give nods to Kobe Bryant with his shoes, and this one is a nod to a shoe and color worn by Kobe for a Christmas Day game in 2010. Though it sold for $80 at retail, it can reach triple-digit prices on the secondary market.

For the Flytrap 2 — sometimes referred to with the roman numeral "II" instead of the "2" — the colorway that's caught the eye of sneakerheads is "Celtics Pride" (A04436-100). It's designed to give the wearer the full home team jersey vibe (back when white jerseys for the home team were standard practice in the NBA). Shamrocks flutter across the vamp and upper, and the outsole comes in a gum color that brings a dash of tradition to a new-school shoe. In 2021, sellers are generally seeking double the original retail price for a pair.

One of the harder pairs of Kyrie Flytrap 3 (or III) shoes to learn about is one that's referred to by its primary color, "Summit White" (BQ3060-105). Despite not being widely profiled by sneaker websites, a pair could be found on eBay for more than $150 in 2021. Another pair that sellers think may be increasing in value is the "South Beach" colorway (CD0191-104/BQ3060-104), which can be found fetching as much as $140 in 2021.

Despite the recency of their releases, Kyrie Flytrap 4 colorways are finding their way onto secondary markets and commanding noteworthy prices. Likely because not all sizes are still available from Nike's website, colorways like the one alternately referred to as "Crimson Pulse" or "Bright Mango" (CT1972-800) can fetch up to $160 or more. The same could be said for a "Blue Void/Lucky Green/Speed Yellow" colorway (CT1972-400). While previous auctions haven't established any prevailing secondary market value for that one in 2021, it's been offered for sale at more than $130 . Ultimately, time will be the real indicator for the collectibility of the Flytrap 4 since it was only released beginning in late 2020.