Getty Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Brooklyn Nets 2021 season will officially kick off this week. The team will participate in media day on Monday before heading to San Diego for the opening of training camp on Tuesday, September 28. This season couldn’t come soon enough for the Nets, as they will try to rebound from a turbulence-filled 2020 season.
Brooklyn was optimistic about coming into the 2021 season because they would have a chance to put their All-Star trio of James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving on the floor at the same time. This was a rare occurrence last season as the ‘big 3’ only played 13 total games last year and had a record of 10-3 in that span. The Nets hoped that the trio would play a lot more games together this season, however, according to a new report from author Matt Sullivan that wish may already be in danger of not coming true.
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Kyrie Likes Vaccine Conspiracy Theorist’s Instagram Posts
The NBA is not mandating players to get vaccinated for COVID-19. However, the players of teams that reside in markets that have mandated the vaccine for them to play indoors must get the shot. If a players refuses, they will be ineligible to play in home games. Those markets include New York and San Francisco which directly affects the players of the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Brooklyn Nets. With the Nets set to open the preseason against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 3, Kyrie is amongst the players who are wary of the vaccine.
“Irving, who serves as a vice president on the executive committee of the players’ union, recently started following and liking Instagram posts from a conspiracy theorist who claims that “secret societies” are implanting vaccines in a plot to connect Black people to a master computer for “a plan of Satan”,” Duggery writes per Rolling Stone.
“This Moderna microchip misinformation campaign has spread across multiple NBA locker rooms and group chats, according to several of the dozen-plus current players, Hall-of-Famers, league executives, arena workers, and virologists interviewed for this story over the past week.”
Kyrie Irving has recently been following and liking IG posts with claims to “secret societies” implanting micro chips to COVID-19 vaccines in a plot to connect Black people to a master computer for “a plan of Satan.” 😬😓
Follow the Heavy on Nets Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content out of Brooklyn!
Nets Kyrie Irving Plans to Fight Against New York’s Vaccine Mandate
According to Duggery, Kyrie’s aunt Tyki Irving is part of a small circle of people whom he considers to be his advisors. She confirms that Kyrie is among the unvaccinated players and says that he remains optimistic the NBA will find a way for them to participate this season without having to take the jab.
“There are so many other players outside of him who are opting out, I would like to think they would make a way,” says Kyrie’s aunt. “It could be like every third game. So, it still gives you a full season of being interactive and being on the court, but with the limitations that they’re, of course, oppressing upon you. There can be some sort of formula where the NBA and the players can come to some sort of agreement.”
According to Duggery, there are roughly 50-60 NBA players who are still unvaccinated for a myriad of different reasons. With the preseason set to begin in just over a week, this year’s NBA champion could end up coming down to which team is fully vaccinated.
READ NEXT: Kevin Durant Ex-Teammate Walks Back Controversial Statement About Him
Comments
‘Plan of Satan’: Inside Kyrie Irving’s Decision to Not Get Vaccinated