Getty Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks onstage during the 2019 NBA Awards.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is regarded not just as a Los Angeles Lakers legend and as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but he has also fought for social justice both during and after his time in the NBA. Abdul-Jabbar has always been one to speak his mind on controversial issues, and that includes former Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving created more controversy after posting a video of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones giving out one of his theories from years ago through one of his Instagram stories on September 15.
Kyrie Irving just posted a video clip entitled “Never Forget – Alex Jones Tried To Warn Us” with Jones claiming back in 2002 that a “New World Order” would release “plagues upon us…”
On his substack, Abdul-Jabbar gave his thoughts on Irving’s actions. He first pointed out the flaws of Irving promoting Jones in light of what happened to Jones in 2022.
Irving is back and more destructive, insensitive, and just plain silly than before. He decided it would be a good idea to post a 2002 video clip from Infowars founder Alex Jones. Yeah, the guy who has been on trial for denying the Sandy Hook shootings and who previously admitted in open court that he’s a performer and his onscreen persona is just a character (that bilks millions of dollars from unaware viewers). The main gist of the clip is a warning about a cabal of international leaders who are secretly releasing plagues on the world from which they can profit.
Abdul-Jabbar then talked about how Irving’s association with Jones has gotten in the way of athletes who have spoken up on social issues.
“Alex Jones is one of the most despicable human beings alive, and to associate with him means you share his stench.
“Kyrie Irving would be dismissed as a comical buffoon if it weren’t for his influence over young people who look up to athletes. When I look at some of the athletes who have used their status to actually improve society—Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, and more—it becomes clear how much Irving has tarnished the reputations of all athletes who strive to be seen as more than dumb jocks.”
Abdul-Jabbar Explains Why Irving Gets Away With This
Abdul-Jabbar not only called Irving ignorant but explained why someone like him can get away with posting his conspiracy theories.
“We might have just left him alone to stew in his own gelatinous ignorance. Rich and famous people get away with saying dumb things all the time because their money isolates them from consequences. They surround themselves with Yes-people whose job is to confirm whatever hare-brained ideas they have. Yes, sir, Mr. Irving, the Earth has never been flatter.”
That last sentence there is in reference to Irving’s long-standing reputation for saying that the earth is flat, which he later apologized for in 2018.
Abdul-Jabbar Proposes How to Fight back
The NBA Hall-of-Famer went on to say that the best way to combat Irving’s behavior is to get his sponsors to drop him. One of his sponsors appears likely to have that in the works.
Irving does not seem to have the capacity to change, but we have the capacity to keep fighting against his brand of destructive behavior. One way to do that, beyond shaking our heads and nasty tweets, is to write to his sponsors and tell them to drop Irving—or you will drop them. Nike has likely decided not to renew his contract past this season. But he is still sponsored by Pepsi and 2K Sports. (Don’t feel bad for Irving: his career earnings at the end of the 2022-’23 season will be $230 million. That buys a lot of Yes-people.)
While that could very well turn out to be the case as years go by, that probably won’t stop Irving from attracting more followers.