It has without a doubt that Kyrie Irving is one of the best ball handlers and point guards to ever grace the game of basketball. His slick dribble moves and go-getter attitude cemented him as a fan favorite amongst basketball lovers early in his career. When Kyrie after playing with the LeBron-led Cavs team said that he no longer wanted to be in James’ shadow, everyone respected his decision. Since then though, it seems that the only shadow Kyrie can’t escape is the one he is creating for himself.
There is nothing wrong with basketball players taking an interest in politics, such as LeBron helping disadvantaged children in his native Ohio but when it has an impact on you playing on the court, maybe it’s time to draw a line.
Irving is incredibly stubborn in his political mindset, so much so that it cost him playing for most of the season due to the fact that he did not agree with the NBA’s and New York City’s mandatory vaccine procedure. Irving has been very outspoken about the COVID-19 virus stating at the start of the pandemic that he was “doing his own research” and he was not following guidelines set out by the government. This in the eyes of many is a fair point as many in the United States opted not to get the vaccine, but this paired with comments about believing the earth is flat are starting to pile up and tarnish the player’s reputation. His political opinions have been ruined so much so that there is serious doubt that a team will trade for Irving in the off-season due to his off-the-court antics.
Fans of the NBA will all agree that having Kyrie on the court is much better than seeing him absent from an area, maybe it’s time to keep your comments to yourself and let the hooping do the talking.
