Kyrie Irving Confirms He’s Unvaccinated And Explains Why He Has Refused The Shot
Topline
Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving broke his silence Wednesday evening, confirming for the first time that he is unvaccinated against Covid-19 and arguing that “nobody should be forced to do anything with their bodies” while asserting he still hopes to return and play for the Nets at some point.
Kyrie Irving poses for a photograph during Media Day at HSS Training Center on September 27, 2019, … [+]
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Key Facts
Irving, speaking on Instagram Live, maintained he is not anti-vaccine, stating “everybody is entitled to do what they feel is what’s best for themselves” and that he is “about being true to what feels good for me.”
The All-Star point guard said he was “standing with all those that believe what is right” and took issue with the notion of Americans “losing jobs to mandates.”
Irving asserted he has no plans to retire, pronouncing, “I am not going and leaving this game like this,” adding,”There is still so much more work to do.”
Crucial Quote:
“I know the consequences here, and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is,” Irving said Wednesday. “That’s the role I play, but I never wanted to give up my passion, my love, my dream just over this mandate.”
Key Background:
The NBA has stated they will not enforce a vaccine mandate this season, but the league informed teams last month that they will have to follow local regulations related to vaccines. Consequently, members of the Nets, who play their home games in New York City, are prohibited from entering the team’s home arena unless they are vaccinated against Covid-19. While Irving would be eligible to participate in the Nets away games, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said Tuesday Irving would not be allowed to play or practice with the team at all until he gets his jab. “He has a choice to make, and he made his choice,” Marks told reporters Tuesday, “and my job here is to make what we deem is the best choices for the organization moving ahead and as a whole.” Marks noted Irving will lose only the money connected to games played in New York City and that the team would welcome the point guard back “under a different set of circumstances.” If Irving misses all 41 games in Brooklyn this season, in addition to the 2 regular-season contests against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, he could forfeit more than $17 million. Irving’s superstar teammates James Harden and Kevin Durant have stated they respect Irving’s decision. “He’s a special player. We want him a part of this group,” Durant said. “But a lot of stuff is out of our control and we will let him figure that out for himself.”
Surprising Fact:
On a 2017 podcast, Irving insisted the Earth is flat. “This is not even a conspiracy theory. The Earth is flat. The Earth is flat,” Irving said. “I’m telling you, it’s right in front of our faces. They lie to us. They lie to us. The truth is right there; you just got to go searching for it. There is no concrete information except for the information that they’re giving us.” He later reiterated those beliefs in an interview with ESPN. Irving encouraged his fans to “do your own research” on the Earth’s shape. A year later, speaking at Forbes’ Under 30 Summit in Boston, Irving apologized for his unfounded claim.
Contra:
Earlier this week, former NBA player Raja Bell called the small percentage of players “railing against” getting vaccinated “entitled and obnoxious.” Bell stated players who are refusing to take the vaccine are “your typical conspiracy-theories people. Kyrie being front and center.” Veteran ESPN NBA analyst Doris Burke said having Irving participate in only half the team’s games would be “so disruptive and somewhat destructive” to the Nets’ championship hopes.
Chief Critic:
Karl-Anthony Towns, the star center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, has lost seven family members to Covid-19, including his mother, and has been critical of those who refuse to get vaccinated. “Every day I see a new excuse why people ain’t getting the vaccine,” he tweeted last month. “Ya starting to get creative with these ‘reasons,’ though, and it’s actually really funny.” Towns later added, “It never matters to people until it happens to them. I hope no one has to deal with what I’ve had to and still continue to deal with.”
Tangent:
Several Republican politicians have supported Irving’s position on the Covid-19 vaccine. On Wednesday, Sen Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tweeted, “Kyrie is showing incredible courage,” adding, “If tyrannical politicians demand you take an injection, you have NO MEDICAL PRIVACY RIGHTS. You are a sheep & you must meekly comply.” The senator also called for the Houston Rockets to trade for Irving. (Last year, Cruz said he wouldn’t watch NBA games because the players speaking out on behalf of the Black Lives Matter movement had “turned every game into left-wing political theater,” which was “dumb.”)
Further Reading:
Unvaccinated NBA Players Face Steep Fines For Each Game They Miss, According To Agreement (Forbes)
Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus
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