Getty Kyrie Irving calls out a play during Brooklyn's loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Brooklyn Nets star guard Kyrie Irving had his fair share of run-ins with the media before the NBA season even started. It started with Kyrie’s media blackout in which he vowed not to talk to the media which led to the NBA fining both Kyrie and the Brooklyn Nets $25k each. Irving’s decision naturally, caused some backlash with various members of the media including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith who said Kyrie “comes off like a damn snob.” Despite what others may think Kyrie comes off as, several of his teammates say from day one he has been nothing but a leader.
Kyrie’s Words Are Often Misunderstood
“I think a lot of times a lot of things that he’s done has just sort of been taken out of context a little bit,” Nets Forward Joe Harris said during a recent appearance on the “Tiki & Tierney” show. A perfect example of this is Kyrie’s pregame routine during his return to TD Garden.
Kyrie who is known for being somewhat of a spiritual person lit sage during his shoot-around in his first return to Boston. Kyrie’s saging, a ritual is known for cleansing negative energy was viewed as a shot towards the Celtics and their fans. “He’s a great dude. He’s a great teammate. You know what to expect from him,” Harris continued. “When he comes in every day, he’s going to bust his tail, do his job. I wouldn’t even say he’s a high-maintenance guy by any means.”
Kyrie Has Been A Leader For Brooklyn
The other half of Brooklyn’s superstar duo, Kevin Durant has echoed the same sentiment as Harris when it comes to Kyrie. No matter how misunderstood he may be, one thing that you can count on is that Kyrie is always going to lead by example. “We all respect him,” Durant told ESPN. We respect his method, and he comes out here and plays extremely hard for us.” Durant and Irving have been on a tear since the season started. With blowout wins over the Warriors and Celtics the Nets look poised to be one of the NBA’s best teams this season. As for the media’s opinion of Kyrie, his teammates, such as Joe Harris could care less about what they think.
Nets Not Bothered By What Kyrie Says To The Media
“To be honest, I don’t pay a lot of attention to a lot of the extra stuff and some of the things that are going on in the media,” said Harris. “Especially when it pertains to him and some of the other guys on the team. But I do know that some of the stuff that I have caught wind of, I think it is taken out of context because I don’t see that. I see what I see every day with him coming in, being professional, just working.”
Kyrie Only Focused On One Goal
As for Kyrie, his focus remains the same as it did when he signed with Brooklyn last summer. Delivering the Nets, the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship. “My goal this season is to let my work on and off the court speak for itself,” said Irving. “I am committed to showing up to work every day, ready to have fun, compete, perform, and win championships alongside my teammates and colleagues in the Nets organization.”
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