In heated exchange with reporters, Kyrie Irving defends posts on anti-Semitic film and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones

In a heated exchange with reporters following another Nets’ loss, Kyrie Irving defended his recent posts promoting an anti-Semitic film and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

“I’m not going to stand down on anything that I believe in,” the West Orange native and former St. Patrick High School star said after scoring 35 points in Brooklyn’s 125-116 loss to the Indiana Pacers Saturday night at Barclays Center. “I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone. I have a whole army around me.”

As Rolling Stone first reported in an article Friday, Irving promoted a movie called “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” that, as the magazine points out, is “stuffed with antisemitic tropes.”

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Irving posted a tweet Thursday that linked to the film’s Amazon page. The movie, which was released in 2018, is based on a 2015 book by the same name. Irving confirmed Saturday he has seen the film and said he found it because “my name translates in the Hebrew language as Yahweh” and he searched for Yahweh on Amazon.

“History is not supposed to be hidden from anybody,” Irving said of the movie. “And I’m not a divisive person when it comes to religion. I embrace all walks of life, you see it on all my platforms. I talk to all races, all cultures, all religions.”

He added: “We go into these religious conversations and it’s a big no-no, I don’t live my life that way. I grew up in a melting pot and I say a melting pot of all races, white, black, red, yellow, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and you could see the way I live my life now. I’m not here to be divisive….What I post does not mean that I support everything that’s being said or everything that’s being done or I’m campaigning for everything.”

He added that he was brainwashed and indoctrinated by his early education.

“I don’t expect understanding from a media conglomerate group,” he said.

On Friday, Nets owner Joe Tsai condemned Irving’s initial post.

“I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of antisemitic disinformation,” Tsai tweeted Friday. “I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.”

Nets analyst Richard Jefferson pointed out during the broadcast that Irving’s initial post was still on his timeline.

“It is disappointing, Kyrie says that he’s not antisemitic and these things, but the tweet is still up,” he said. “The tweet is still up there.”

The NBA also issued a statement Saturday condemning the post.

“Hate speech of any kind is unacceptable and runs counter to the NBA’s values of equality, inclusion and respect,” the league said. “We believe we all have a role to play in ensuring such words or ideas, including antisemitic ones, are challenged and refuted and we will continue working with all members of the NBA community to ensure that everyone understands the impact of their words and actions.”

This, of course, is not Irving’s first brush with controversy. In 2018, he famously said the Earth was flat, before eventually apologizing. Last year, he played in only 29 games after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, saying he wanted to be “a voice for the voiceless.”

Irving was also asked Saturday by ESPN’s Nick Friedell about recent posts that promoted Alex Jones’ New World Order conspiracy theory. He was ripped by NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the post, with the legend saying sponsors should drop Irving.

“That was a few weeks ago,” Irving said. “I do not stand with Alex Jones’ position, narrative, court case that he had with Sandy Hook, or any of the kids that felt like they had to relive trauma or parents that had to relive trauma, or to be dismissive to all the lives that were lost during that tragic event. My post was a post from Alex Jones that he did in the early 90s or late 90s about secret societies in America of cults, and it’s true. So I wasn’t identifying with anything… for Alex Jones, it’s just there to post.

“And it’s funny, it’s actually hilarious, because of all the things I posted that day, that was the one post that everyone chose to see.”

When Friedell tried to communicate that by re-posting messages from Jones, Irving was implicitly endorsing them, Irving replied: “Don’t dehumanize me up here. I’m another human being. I can post whatever I want so say that. So shut it down and move on to the next question.”

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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.

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