Getty Kyrie Irving brings the ball up the floor against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Brooklyn Nets‘ relationship with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was already rocky coming into the season. For those who may be tardy to the party, Irving and the Nets failed to agree on the terms of a max contract extension during the offseason. As a result, he will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. But things could get worse between the Nets and their star point guard before they get better.
Before the Nets took on the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, Kyrie tweeted and posted on Instagram, the link to the 2018 film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” which is filled with anti-Semitic tropes, according to an article written by Rolling Stone. The Nets released a statement in the wake of Irving’s social media post.
“The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech,” the Nets said in a statement addressed to “The Athletic”. “We believe that in these situations, our first action must be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL, who have been supportive during this time.”
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Joe Tsai Slams Kyrie Irving’s Tweet
But it wasn’t just the Nets as an organization who shunned Kyrie for his post. Nets owner Joe Tsai personally took to Twitter on October 28 to express how “disappointed” he was with the Nets star and slammed Irving for his decision to “promote hate”.
“I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-Semitic disinformation,” Tsai tweeted. “I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity, or religion.”
I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.
Abdul-Jabbar Slams Kyrie for Alex Jones Post
With Irving’s relationship with the Nets already on the ropes, Tsai publicly calling out his star in the wake of his Tweet, will most likely make things worse.
Kyrie has been an outspoken individual for the majority of his career and has never been one to mince words. But often the Nets star’s desire to speak out lands him in hot water. Earlier in October, he posted a video from radio host and known conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to his Instagram account. The decision to do so earned him a harsh tongue-lashing from NBA Hall of Famer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who referred to Kyrie as a ‘comical buffoon’.
“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,” Abdul-Jabbar said of Irving via his Substack account.
“When I look at some of the athletes who have used their status to actually improve society—Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russel, 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.”
It will be interesting to see how Tsai’s calling out of Irving, ultimately impacts his upcoming free agency decision.