Since Kyrie Irving’s five-game suspension from the Brooklyn Nets and sensationalized decision to post a link to a documentary with reported anti-Semitic views, many have abandoned him. Conversely, some notable people decided to stand by Irving despite the risk to their personal brand in the balance.
On Sunday morning, Baltimore Ravens legend Ed Reed revealed his position, that he was standing with Kyrie.
He is not
— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) November 6, 2022
“These boys making business decisions, not worried about the people! I STAND WITH #KyrieIrving we are Harmed everyday! Stop acting as if BLACK folk are not treated worst than any. All the attn (apologies) PROVES it #CarryOn,” Reed posted in a now-deleted tweet.
Reed replied to a few skeptical commenters who questioned his vocal stance, and eventually, he deleted his initial tweet and offered a more politically correct stance in its stead.
“God know my heart,nothing to see here love all people!” Reed posted with praying hands, peace sign and black heart emojis. He also retweeted another post that read, “They spent more time attack Irving than Favre. You already know.”
They spent more time attack Irving than Favre. You already know.
— Jones 86’ (@Jones__1986) November 7, 2022
On Monday, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, a vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, said that the union disagrees with the list of terms Kyrie Irving needs to fulfill before being reinstated from his suspension by the Brooklyn Nets.
“There is an interesting distinction between what somebody says verbally and what somebody posts as a link on a platform with no description behind it,” Brown said in a statement. “Some people will argue there’s no difference and some people will argue there is a difference. There’s no language in our CBA. There’s no rules against it. This is uncharted territory for everybody, and everybody is trying to figure out the difference between the two.”
FS1’s Shannon Sharpe says the Brooklyn Nets are trying to rob Kyrie Irving of his dignity.
I’ve been very critical of Kyrie, but what Brooklyn is doing is a bit much. pic.twitter.com/Pe5tBXWb9C
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) November 8, 2022
Additionally, Brooklyn rapper Maino took to Instagram on Sunday night to how he felt about Nike also suspending their relationship with Kyrie Irving. Even though Irving apologized to try to quell the outrage, the shoe manufacturer still decided to pause its relationship with him, which did not sit well with Maino.
Maino was speculative about why the world wasn’t holding Amazon, the distributor of the documentary that Irving shared, as accountable as they were keeping Irving.
Not they protecting them Clear as day, house cats
— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) November 6, 2022
“So Kyrie Irving is being held for being responsible for a link to a documentary that’s on Amazon and Amazon is a platform that it’s being shared,” Maino questioned. “So he’s being held accountable by Nike and whoever else, but Amazon is not?”
“Talk to me…I need some understanding,” he added in a caption to the video.
Irving issued an apology to offset what seemed like his original stance that didn’t express the remorse or regret sought by those he offended.
I’m not taking it back.
— Ed Reed (@TwentyER) November 6, 2022
“While doing research on YHWH, I posted a documentary that contained some false antisemitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish race/religion, and I take full accountability and [responsibility] for my actions,” wrote Kyrie Irving on Instagram.
“To all Jewish families and communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize. I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled antisemitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish brothers and sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the documentary.”
Kyrie also offered a $500,000 donation, matched by the Brooklyn Nets, and will meet with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Jewish leadership.
Former NFL wide receiver turned pop star Antonio Brown also made a statement when he changed his profile picture to Kyrie Irving’s face. The world skeptically looked at Kyrie’s anti-vaccination position and not playing in the Barclays Center during the indoor mandate in NYC. Now with his newest counter-cultural action Irving keeps the conventional scratching their heads and others feeling the need to defend him even at the risk of their popularity.
