Getty Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles as Caris LeVert #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends during the first half of the Eastern Conference 2022 Play-In Tournament
On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets secured their postseason fate with a play-in victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers and are now preparing for a first-round matchup against the Boston Celtics.
In the play-in game, Kyrie Irving fasting for Ramadan got national attention for the first time. It had been pointed out on Twitter prior to Tuesday’s game, but Tuesday is when TNT’s Jared Greenburg asked him about his high level of play while fasting postgame.
“I am not alone in this,” Irving said. “I have brothers and sisters all around the world that are fasting with me. We hold our prayers and our meditations very sacred and when you come out here, I mean, God’s inside me, God’s inside you, God’s inside all of us. So, I am walking with faith and that’s all that matters.
Kyrie explains being able to play at a high level while fasting during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan is a month-long period from April 1 to May 1 where those of the Muslim faith fast from food and drink from sun up to sundown. Irving is participating in the fast this Ramadan, making his play-in performance even more impressive. Not having his first food or water until after tip-off while making your first twelve shots in a game is an inspiring feat.
This isn’t the first time a player fasting for Ramadan during the playoffs has made news, in 2019 then Enes Kanter was playing on a Portland Trailblazers playoff run while fasting. The outspoken forward took the opportunity of Irving being in the news to offer his own criticism of and strong message to the Nets point guard.
Enes Freedom Sends Message to Kyrie
On Thursday, the free agent forward decided to call out Irving in a tweet, saying,
“Hey @KyrieIrving,
I’m proud of your fasting & representing the Muslim world.
However, our faith asks us to call out injustices everywhere.
@BrooklynNets owner @joetsai1999is supporting Muslim genocide of your brothers & sisters. Speak up my brother!”
The tweet also featured an article linked from the New York Daily News titled ‘Joe Tsai’s Alibaba financially supported China’s ‘cultural genocide’ of Uyghur Muslims: report.’
Hey @KyrieIrving
I’m proud of your fasting & representing the Muslim world.
However, our faith asks us to call out injustices everywhere.
@BrooklynNets owner @joetsai1999 is supporting Muslim genocide of your brothers & sisters.
Speak up my brother!
In 2021, Enes Kanter changed his name legally to Enes Freedom and since then has made a point to get behind multiple causes he believes in. He has publically called out everyone from Adam Silver, LeBron James, now Kyrie Irving, and more to join him in these causes.
Now, as a free agent, Freedom has claimed the NBA is blackballing him because he is so outspoken. A claim league commissioner Adam Silver has denied.
Nets Owner Joe Tsai
Freedom’s tweet comes after an article was released by ESPN on April 14 titled ‘Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai is the face of NBA’s uneasy China relationship.‘ The article reports on Tsai’s company Alibaba and some of their investments, Tsai backing of some of China’s more controversial policies, some of the business ties the owner has, and more. The report also offers commentary on Tsai, being at the forefront of the NBA-China relationship after comments by Daryl Morey put the league in hot water with a tweet.
What Freedom wants Irving to do about this report on Tsai was not clear from his tweet, and how Irving will respond is yet to be seen.
One thing that Freedom’s comments shouldn’t take away from is how impressive Irving’s performance was during a fast. Playing with no food or water or regular eating schedule for weeks is a feat that deserves applause.