Is Nets star Kyrie Irving unvaccinated? Does he believe those conspiracy theories? Does he have a plan for playing in Brooklyn home games while New York city prohibits unvaccinated and unexempted Nets from doing so?
With an opportunity to answer those questions (on Zoom, not actually attending Nets media day), Irving repeatedly and respectfully cited his privacy.
Irving:
I appreciate your questions, bro. Honestly, I like to keep that stuff private. I’m a human being first. And obviously, living in this public sphere, there’s just a lot of questions about what’s going on in the world of Kyrie. And I think I just would love to just keep that private and handle it the right way with my team and go forward together with a plan. So, obviously, I’m not able to be present there today. But that doesn’t mean that I’m putting any limits on the future of me being able to join the team. And I just want to keep it that way. So, if we can keep that private. If anybody has any further questions about that, please, it will be the same response. I would like to keep that private. And just please respect that, my privacy.
Please respect my privacy. Next question.
Again, I would like to keep all that private. Please just respect my privacy. All the questions kind of leading into what’s happening, just please – everything will be released at a due date and once we get this cleared up. But as of right now, just please respect my privacy regarding anything or home games, what’s happening, vaccination. Please.
I’m just excited to enjoy this day by day and the journey, man. However this comes – the ups, the downs, the good, the bad – I know that I’ll be there every day no matter what and just be present for my teammates as one of the leaders on the team.
In this space, I do want to accomplish more than I have in the last few years. I felt like I’ve fallen short alongside my teammates. So, just achieving that gold lady that we’re all trying to go after. So, I know that the focus has to be at an all-time high, no distractions. And this is the last thing I wanted to create was more distractions or more hoopla or more drama around this. So, I’m doing my best to maintain with good intentions, a good heart, putting God first.
It’s hard to take Irving seriously about being there every day for his teammates… when he’s not with the team today due to New York’s vaccine protocols.
Likewise, it’s tough to believe Irving is so opposed to creating drama when he has a track record of creating drama.
Though Irving should be entitled to some privacy, his availability for Nets home games can hardly be spun as a private matter. NBA games are public events.
Irving has priorities other than basketball. His vaccination status is about more than just basketball to him.
But vaccinated people are less likely to contract and spread coronavirus. In the rare event they have a breakthrough case, vaccinated people are less likely to suffer severe outcomes.
Nearly everyone can agree with what Irving said: This hoopla is unwanted.
