A reporter asked Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving about his offer to cover the $11,941 NFL penalty given to Azeez Al-Shaair, the linebacker for the Houston Texans, after the Mavericks’ first game of the season.
“He’s a friend of mine,” Irving said. “He’s a brother that I consider in this revolution that a lot of this generation is building.”
Al-Shaair received the penalty after displaying “Hind Rajab” beneath his eyes during Houston’s game against the Buffalo Bills. The tribute named Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian child whom Israeli military fire killed in Gaza in 2024.
Irving initially entered the story through X. After seeing a post about the punishment, he reposted it and wrote, “I’ll take care of his fine.” His new comments provided the reasoning behind that brief public pledge.
Kyrie Irving Calls Al-Shaair’s Gesture ‘Selfless’
Irving described Al-Shaair’s decision as an effort to support people who cannot draw the same level of attention to their experiences.
“It’s a selfless act when you can show up for others that don’t necessarily have a voice for themselves,” Irving said.
The Mavericks guard then expanded his answer beyond his relationship with Al-Shaair. He pointed toward conflicts around the world and the effect they have on civilians, particularly children.
“I believe some of that most of us know is happening around the world globally,” Irving said. “And it’s a lot of innocent people that are losing their lives and children, especially. Anytime there’s a war or conflict, there’s going to be unfortunate deaths and murders going on.”
Irving also contrasted those conditions with the comfort many Americans experience each day.
“And us here in America, we get the luxury of going to bed at night and have nice bedrooms and things paid for,” he said.
His response framed the payment offer as both support for someone he considers a brother and recognition of the cause behind Al-Shaair’s tribute. Irving did not limit his answer to the financial penalty, instead focusing on why he believed Al-Shaair’s action carried importance.
Azeez Al-Shaair Honored Hind Rajab With Message
The NFL fined Al-Shaair because league rules prohibit unapproved wording on players’ equipment. The punishment applied to the equipment violation, not specifically to the pro-Palestinian content of the tribute.
Rajab traveled with six relatives through northern Gaza in January 2024 when Israeli forces fired on their vehicle, according to CNN. She survived the initial gunfire and spent hours speaking with Palestinian paramedics by phone as she waited for help. Responders later found her body inside the vehicle.
The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged that its troops fired toward the vehicle and opened a criminal investigation, according to the report. The IDF had previously denied that its forces operated close enough to fire at it.
Al-Shaair has used his eye black to draw attention to Palestinians before. The NFL also fined him last season after he displayed “stop the genocide” during the Texans’ wild-card victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After that game, Al-Shaair said he anticipated a financial penalty but believed his message involved something larger than himself. Irving has now backed that position with more than an X post, explaining after Dallas’ season opener why he volunteered to cover the cost.
The Mavericks ended up losing their home opener to the Rockets, but luckily, there’s still a whole lot of season left.
Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving makes feelings clear on Azeez Al-Shaair’s NFL fine