There have been a lot of opinions shared when it comes to the situation with Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. The NBA superstar is currently serving a five-game suspension as part of the fallout from his sharing anti-semitic media on his Twitter page.
He played multiple games with the link still up on his page and in the days following; the Nets and the NBA hoped that Irving would issue an apology for what he did and the people he hurt. That apology didn’t come until after the suspension was announced.
Another disappointing thing about this whole situation is that none of Irving’s peers called for him to step up and apologize or further clarify the comments he made. After the suspension, there were a few mentions of it, but that was about it.
A lot of people have been putting support behind Irving on social media since, believing that the punishment does not fit the crime. One of those people is his former teammate, LeBron James.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, Brooklyn Nets & Kyrie Irving Updates
James voiced his displeasure with what Irving shared, saying that he doesn’t believe in sharing harmful information as Irving did. However, he does believe that his former teammate should be allowed back on the court now that he has issued an apology.
“I told you guys that I don’t believe in sharing hurtful information. And I’ll continue to be that way but Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play. That’s what I think. It’s that simple. Help him learn- but he should be playing. What he’s asked to do to get back on the floor I think is excessive IMO. He’s not the person that’s being portrayed of him. Anyways back to my rehab session.”
There would likely be more people who felt the same way as James had Irving just taken the time to explain himself when given the opportunity. Instead of clarifying which parts he may have agreed and disagreed with and unequivocally denouncing anti-semitism, he would double down in his refusal.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, Brooklyn Nets & Kyrie Irving Updates
It has cost him millions of dollars and will likely have a lasting impact on his career. Irving is no stranger to controversy, as his tenure with the Nets has been filled with it.
For now, his career is on hold until he finishes a six-step checklist that the Nets laid out for him to complete to get back on the court. While the apology that he made was a step in the right direction, they want to see more from him before allowing him to play for the team again.
