Kyrie Irving might be finished
Kyrie #Kyrie
That might be a wrap on Kyrie Irving, at least in Brooklyn and maybe elsewhere in the NBA.
After an almost nonstop series of controversies from the moment he signed, the Nets suspended Irving on Thursday night. A team statement cited Irving’s “refusal to disavow antisemitism” after he shared a link to an antisemitic movie on social media. He’s suspended without pay for “no less than five games.”
Irving had major issues from start to finish in Brooklyn. His first year with the Nets was largely lost to a mysterious shoulder injury; his second featured a post-Jan. 6 leave of absence explained only by vague “personal reasons”; he barely played at home last year due to his refusal to get vaccinated amid New York City’s mandate. But the Nets were largely permissive through it all with their star guard, and it appeared they were taking the same route when Irving shared Instagram and Twitter links to “Hebrews To Negroes: Wake Up Black America.” The movie engages in open Holocaust denial and approvingly cites a (fake) Hitler quote, among tons of other antisemitic content.
It’s been a slow-motion disaster. Irving shared the link on social media on Oct. 27 and was only suspended a week later. On Saturday, he had a contentious exchange with beat writers, defending an Alex Jones video he had shared as “true” and berating a reporter to “fix his life.” It only got worse from there. Nets GM Sean Marks — at a press conference announcing the firing of coach Steve Nash — said that Irving would get a few days to “simmer down” before he spoke to the media again. On Wednesday night, the Nets, Irving and the Anti-Defamation League put out a joint statement, in which the trio announced that Irving and Nets were making a million-dollar donation to unspecified “causes and organizations,” but it was most notable for what was lacking: any kind of apology from Irving.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who obviously could suspend Irving for his conduct, issued a tut-tutting statement Thursday morning. “I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize,” Silver said, adding that he planned to meet with Irving personally. Hours later, the cooling-off period apparently over, Irving was asked possibly the easiest question of all time by reporters: Do you hold any antisemitic beliefs?
Instead of answering “no,” Irving twice repeated the phrase, “I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from,” seemingly doubling down on the film’s thesis that Jews have stolen their identity as Hebrews from Black people.
It’s his stubbornness, then, and not posting the movie that got Irving suspended. (As an aside, it’s unclear why the league and Nets were so hesitant to give Irving a small punishment in the first place. The Heat suspended Meyers Leonard for a week when he used an antisemitic slur; Rajon Rondo was suspended a game for calling Bill Kennedy an anti-gay slur and outing the referee; the sainted Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for using the same slur. You may think those punishments are light, but they’re more than Irving received in a full week.)
The Nets cited Irving’s infamous contrarian streak when announcing their belated discipline on Thursday night. “We believed that taking the path of education in this challenging situation would be the right one,” the team said.
“We were dismayed today … that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film,” the statement continued.
“Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.” It’s unclear when Irving will return. The Nets said that he will sit out at least five games, and won’t play “until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that addresses the harmful impact of his conduct.”
The Nets have banished Irving before, saying last fall that he couldn’t play road games until he got vaccinated. Their resolve lasted about two months before they came crawling back. Irving continued to miss home games until New York City lifted its vaccine mandate, in a special carveout for him and a few other athletes. If history is any guide, he won’t be the first one to blink here.