Athletes have one of the greatest jobs in the world. They get the opportunity to play the game they love and get paid for it. That isn't the exact case for every athlete but for the majority, they live and breathe the sport they play.

In the same breath, those players have different motivations for why they play. Garner a better contract, financial security, helping a family out of poverty, trying to be the best ever, and some do it for the pure love of the sport.

Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving made his motivations clear and one of the reasons on the top of his list is his mother. Irving's mother passed away when he was four years old, and playing to honor her memory is one of the things that he finds the greatest motivation in.

In fact, the 25-year old had his mother's birth date and date of death stitched in the insole of his very first signature shoe, the Kyrie 1.

Irving once again honored his mother when the Celtics faced off against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night with a specially-designed pair of Nike sneakers made with her in mind.

The sneakers came with a large rose imprinted on the outside of the shoe and the tongue logo replaced with the word MOM.

Not only was it a tribute to Kyrie Irving's mother, but an homage to mothers everywhere, according to the Sneaker Room who collaborated with Irving to create the design and soon to release at retail.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbTBS8alI43/?taken-by=sneakerroom