Getty Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn Nets point guard, Kyrie Irving has one simple message for his critic: don’t play with him.
Last weekend, Irving participated in an Instagram Live with his sister, Asia Irving to unveil his new Nike Kyrie Irving 6 shoe designed by his older sister.
“When I’m out there on the court, I’m the most happiest when I’m out there doing my job,” said the NBA champ.
“But also doing it in a way that entertains and makes people happy. I’m not no dancing person out there that’s like: ‘Hello yeah, yeah lets do it come on.’ Naw, like, I’m not that, I’m not that. I never was that. I’ll never be that; and you know something like a commodity that people make fun of and you know: ‘he off the court is like….’ No it’s about on the court, look at my resume, look at the classics, look at my art. I created it for going on ten-plus years now. Don’t play with me. Don’t play with what I do on a day in and day out basis to provide and go out there and create. You know what I mean? I’m away from my family for seven months out of the year. I’m out there frontlines, activism. I’m out there contnuing to spread light to Breonna Taylor and #SayHerName and all of our women. Like, this is the life that empcompasses a lot more than just just shooting a damn basketball.”
Irving has been busy over the last week in his message of social justice. Last week, he joined Academy Award and Grammy Award winner, Common, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Alicia Garza, Dr. Brittney Cooper and Representative Ayanna Pressley for a virtual discussion to drive action around the murder of Breonna Taylor in a panel hosted by Jemele Hill.
“I just really want to shed the light and spread light to all those who want to join this fight for justice because there still hasn’t been justice,” said Irving.
“We stand in solidarity that we want to see justice and something be done in our criminal justice system that can help.”
The NBA will resume play on July 30 at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida with 22-teams competing to fill the league’s 16-NBA Playoff spots in both the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conferences.
For those keeping score at home: The NBA Finals is slated to finish no later than October 13.
The Nets are a seventh seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Brooklyn will be without Irving who is rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder from an injury back in the winter.
Irving’s Nets teammates Kevin Durant, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Wilson Chander, Taurean Prince, Nic Claxton and Michael Beasley will also not be present for Brooklyn’s restart in Orlando either due to injury or COVID-19 positive tests.
Last week, the Nets signed Jamal Crawford for the rest of the season. “He can bring some stability to that locker room,” CBS Sports Networks Ryan Hollins said yesterday.
“The Brooklyn Nets organization, the next year for the Brooklyn Nets is arguably going to be the most pivotal year in Nets history. So I would look forward and say that Jamal Crawford, his signing could be by far the most influential.”