Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rips Kyrie Irving over Alex Jones video

Kyrie Irving’s tacit endorsement of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones last month flew under the radar. That is until Kareem Abdul-Jabbar put the Nets star on blast, ripping his “gelatinous ignorance” and accusing him of tarnishing the reputations of all athletes.

“Kyrie Irving would be dismissed as a comical buffoon if it weren’t for his influence over young people,” Abdul-Jabbar, 75, wrote on his Substack.

Irving is unquestionably a Hall of Fame-level talent, and has always been respectful of the basketball icons that came before him. But six-time NBA MVP Abdul-Jabbar — viewed by many other stars as the greatest of all-time, and also a staunch activist on social issues — unleashed a scathing critique of Irving.

Last month, Irving took to Instagram and posted a 2002 clip where Jones — the InfoWars founder and fake news purveyor — claimed a tyrannical organization of global leaders calling itself the New World Order are releasing plagues for profit.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the Lakers’ celebration of his 75th birthday on April 8, 2022. NBAE via Getty Images

For perspective, the same day Irving posted the video, Jones went on trial in Connecticut. He was being sued by parents of 20 children murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown (Conn.) in 2012, after he had claimed that no one was actually killed and called the tragic massacre a hoax by crisis actors. A Texas jury had already awarded the families $50 million for Jones’ lies.

“Alex Jones is one of the most despicable human beings alive and to associate with him means you share his stench,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote.

“Kyrie Irving would be dismissed as a comical buffoon if it weren’t for his influence over young people who look up to athletes. When I look at some of the athletes who have used their status to actually improve society — Colin Kaepernick, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Bill Russel, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, and more — it becomes clear how much Irving has tarnished the reputations of all athletes who strive to be seen as more than dumb jocks.”

Kyrie Irving at Nets media day on Sept. 26, 2022. Noah K. Murray

Ironically, Irving clearly isn’t dumb and is intent on not being pigeonholed or told to shut up and dribble. He’s active in the community and generous with his money, including donating $1.5 million of his own money to WNBA players who sat out due to COVID-19.

But the Nets star’s adamant refusal to adhere to New York’s vaccine mandates not only limited him to just 29 games last season (six at home), but was also seen by some — including Abdul-Jabbar — as dangerous to a black community already facing vaccine hesitancy.

“Last October, I wrote a piece about Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (‘Should We Just ‘Leave Kyrie Alone?’) and why this reckless choice was destructive to the country and especially the Black community where he would be an influential role model. The facts proved that accusation to be true. Irving didn’t care. He continued to promote his anti-vax sentiments — regardless of the cost in lives and health to others — proclaiming himself a ‘martyr.’ Not kidding,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote.

Infowars founder Alex Jones takes the witness stand to testify during the Alex Jones Sandy Hook defamation damages trial at Connecticut Superior Court. Reuters

“We might have just left him alone to stew in his own gelatinous ignorance. Rich and famous people get away with saying dumb things all the time because their money isolates them from consequences. They surround themselves with Yes-people whose job is to confirm whatever hare-brained ideas they have. Yes, sir, Mr. Irving, the Earth has never been flatter.”