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NBA star Kyrie Irving refuses to get vaccinated


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2021 Oct 12, 1:14am   592 views  22 comments

by Patrick   ➕follow (55)   💰tip   ignore  

https://www.insider.com/kyrie-irving-wont-play-home-games-vaccination-nets-2021-10


The Brooklyn Nets appear to be coming to terms with the idea that Kyrie Irving won't play home games this season because he hasn't received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Because of New York City's vaccine mandates, Irving isn't allowed to play in home games. San Francisco and Los Angeles are the only other cities with similar rules.

"I think we recognize he's not playing home games," Nash said, the New York Post reported. "We're going to have to, for sure, play without him this year, so it just depends on when, where, and how much."

It was the first public admission from the team that Irving's situation may not be resolved when the regular season begins.

It was first disclosed that Irving wasn't vaccinated when he wasn't available for the Nets' media day. He was the only player on the roster not present. When asked about his vaccination status, Irving repeatedly requested privacy over his decision.

Last week, New York City said the Nets' practice facility, the HSS Training Center, is a private business and not subject to vaccine mandates, which allows Irving to join the team for practice. But he still can't play in Barclays Center.

The Nets have been outwardly supportive of Irving, maintaining hope that Irving would eventually join them full time. But in recent days, it's sounded as though members of the team have grown more frustrated with Irving's part-time role.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst reported last week that the Nets' hopes that Irving would get vaccinated were "waning," despite attempts to educate him on the issue. ESPN also reported that the franchise was getting less patient with Irving's partial commitment and was unsure whether it would accommodate him being with the team for only half the season.

Irving's superstar teammates Kevin Durant and James Harden have also publicly expressed hope that Irving would commit to the team.

"At least he can practice," Kevin Durant told reporters on Friday, ESPN reported. "But we want him here for the whole thing. We want him for games, home games, practices, away games, shootarounds, all of it. So hopefully, we can figure this thing out."

James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant high-five during a game.
The Nets' "Big Three" make the team championship favorites. Jeff Chiu/AP Images
James Harden told reporters that he'd leave it to Irving and the Nets' front office to chart a course forward, but he added, "I want him to be on the team."
It's a stunning turn of events that throws Irving's and the Nets' future into immediate question.

It's unprecedented to have a player only play in half of his team's games. It's even more noteworthy that it's a star of Irving's magnitude on a championship contender.

Irving produced one of the best seasons of his career last year, averaging 27 points per game while posting a 50-40-90 shooting slash, a mark of supreme efficiency from the field. Irving played the most of Brooklyn's three stars, and his decision to relinquish point-guard duties to Harden allowed him to become a dangerous secondary ball handler and scoring guard.

It's unclear what happens off the court. ESPN reported that Irving could miss game checks of around $380,000 for every home game he doesn't play.

If Irving remains unvaccinated, it's fair to question how long the Nets would be willing to accommodate him. Irving has been the subject of trade rumors during the offseason and preseason: Fox Sports' Nick Wright reported that Irving would consider retiring if he were traded to another team, while ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said the Nets weighed trading Irving, only for Durant to shoot down the idea.

But having a superstar available for only half the season (technically less, since the Nets is expected to play two "away" games against the New York Knicks) somewhat defeats the purpose of going all-in for a superteam. What would happen if the Nets played a Game 7 at home and didn't have Irving available?

Comments 1 - 22 of 22        Search these comments

1   WookieMan   2021 Oct 12, 5:03am  

Eh, Irving is not a good steward for being anti-vax for this vaccine. He's a flat earther for real. His stance just makes everyone not wanting to take it look a bit crazy now because of his public views on that topic.

I like that it seems he's making a stand, just wish it was another public figure. Although the impact on the basketball team will be real as he's a great PG, so maybe it gets some fans up in arms over vaccine mandates. They'll still win with the other players though and definitely make the playoffs barring injury.

I wonder if he'll still get paid for the games he misses. At this stage of his career it might be a win-win to reduce wear and tear on his body and he gets paid most likely. Might extend the career another year. NBA guys are paid a fuck ton, even bench players.
2   GNL   2021 Oct 12, 5:04am  

His teammates should be outwardly supportive of him. The problem with situations like these is very few stand up for freedom. When Ali refused to report for the draft, he was all alone in his fight. Coincidentally, he won.
3   Al_Sharpton_for_President   2021 Oct 12, 5:09am  

He’s just got to couple resistance to the gene therapy with the black national anthem, and anti-matter meets matter. Ka-boom!
4   WookieMan   2021 Oct 12, 7:39am  

WineHorror1 says
His teammates should be outwardly supportive of him.

Thing is they likely do. They'll all still make their money. Somehow media was able to politicize a virus. They have brands and sponsorships to protect, so I get why they don't publicly support him. He's also said the earth is flat. You generally distance yourself from those people. Hence why I don't think he should be a media poster boy for this topic.
5   GNL   2021 Oct 12, 8:11am  

WookieMan says
...I don't think he should be a media poster boy for this topic.

I'm dumbfounded that there aren't some really big stars coming forward against these mandates. Incredibly good arguments can be made.
6   WookieMan   2021 Oct 12, 8:29am  

WineHorror1 says
WookieMan says
...I don't think he should be a media poster boy for this topic.

I'm dumbfounded that there aren't some really big stars coming forward against these mandates. Incredibly good arguments can be made.

Sponsorship and future work. On the Southwest recent thread, pilots are actually the perfect people to be against mandates. Problem is maybe 1 in 10 people know pilots take a medical exam annually to keep their FAA pilots license. You have a reaction to the vaccine, you could lose your job permanently. One of the few times unions have stood up for actual worker rights. Media is trying to blame it on weather. It's all bull shit and lies.

There's a high likelihood it's going to fuck up my vacation next week. I'll be upset. But they're taking a stand on something I believe and agree with them. I'll get over it if it gets cancelled. I won't get my annual Patnet Epstein Island photo. But if this moves the needle towards dumping masks and vaccine mandates, it's a move in the right direction.

I'm a prepare for the worst and expect the worst guy. Wife calls it negative. I call it positive. When everything works out it makes me personally even more happy. Where if I just assumed everything would be fine and the bad happens, I get angry as all hell. Kind of the under promise and over perform logic to business.
7   GNL   2021 Oct 12, 8:39am  

WookieMan says
Sponsorship and future work.

I can't imagine being a big star with legacy changing money and worrying about future work. I'd gladly forgo any future work/money making possibilities in order to make a stand. I don't get it. If nothing else, it would be standing up for your very own children and grandchildren. What could be more important than that?
8   Automan Empire   2021 Oct 12, 10:21am  

WineHorror1 says
I can't imagine being a big star with legacy changing money and worrying about future work.


Much of a celebrity's "value" is in future earnings potential. Just because someone is several years into big stardom, it doesn't mean they have >3MM in interest earning investments to keep them in income for life no matter what. Even if they do, willfully tanking millions of dollars worth of in-the-bag future earning potential for an abstract cause that few of your peers are committing to at this level is a HUGE expectation.
9   WookieMan   2021 Oct 12, 10:38am  

Automan Empire says
WineHorror1 says
I can't imagine being a big star with legacy changing money and worrying about future work.


Much of a celebrity's "value" is in future earnings potential. Just because someone is several years into big stardom, it doesn't mean they have >3MM in interest earning investments to keep them in income for life no matter what. Even if they do, willfully tanking millions of dollars worth of in-the-bag future earning potential for an abstract cause that few of your peers are committing to at this level is a HUGE expectation.

I agree with AE on this. Fact is we simply don't understand or comprehend what $30M+ per year is like. I like he's taking a stand. He's close to my age and a professional athlete. He doesn't need the vaccine. Covid won't kill him.

But, you get used to a certain lifestyle. We're fine on $70-200k, which I'm guessing most patnetters family income is. Imagine having $30M+ per year. There's an exponential difference. Going from $30M to $200k is a vastly different proposition. It's not necessarily about the total, it's about where you're happiest. If you got happy making $30M playing sports and a buddy, who happens to be a flat earther, doesn't want to get a vaccine, I'd probably turtle too. No point in risking future income and possibly current income.

Our media is toxic. It's all drama now and not journalism. The story is made into him letting his team down, not about his opinion on an experimental vaccine. His teammates really don't matter on the topic. If they want to opine on it, go ahead. A guy like Durant would stand to lose millions and likely 10's of millions if he backed Irving. We're in fucked up times.
10   DhammaStep   2021 Oct 12, 10:58am  

https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/ny-nets-ban-kyrie-irving-playing-until-he-gets-covid-19-vaccine

Looks like he's completely banned from all games and practice until he gets jabbed.
11   GNL   2021 Oct 12, 11:23am  

Together we stand. It doesn't mean anything anymore, I guess.
12   GNL   2021 Oct 12, 11:24am  

When Kyrie takes the jab, it will have the intended effect...demoralization.
13   B.A.C.A.H.   2021 Oct 12, 11:32am  

Fascinating. Who will be next?
14   GNL   2021 Oct 12, 11:39am  

B.A.C.A.H. says
Fascinating. Who will be next?

All of us if we don't support each other.
15   WookieMan   2021 Oct 12, 1:42pm  

WineHorror1 says
Together we stand. It doesn't mean anything anymore, I guess.

He needs to sue. But guessing about NBA contracts he'll get his money either way. If the people that stood up for him are vaxx'd, they wouldn't get paid if they protested and skipped games. That's about the only thing that would work or be effective. Basically strike.

As I said, when you can get $2k/nt hotels or $50k+/wk yachts and not even think about the price, you like to keep it that way. Also, culturally, black men don't tend to back each other. Look at places like Chicago, Detroit or say Baltimore. There's not white people running around killing each other. His teammate likely give zero shits and just have to play ball with him. They'll give a pre-determined line the team tells them to say. They're wealthy slaves. Not free thinkers.

People like us just don't have the platform like they do. So we think, just stand together. Unless it's about black people, NBA players are the uncle tom or house n*gger. They do what's best for them. Money corrupts.
16   HeadSet   2021 Oct 12, 4:45pm  

WookieMan says
Problem is maybe 1 in 10 people know pilots take a medical exam annually to keep their FAA pilots license

Actually, that is every 6 months for pilots over 40, which nearly all left seaters are. That means these fellows are just a couple months away from being grounded if the First Class Physical finds some damage from the jab.
20   RWSGFY   2021 Nov 10, 8:46am  

Patrick says
https://www.outkick.com/nba-nbpa-now-requiring-vaxxed-players-to-get-booster-shot/


Yep, it'll never end. Filing for a religious exemption seems like a best bet.
21   Patrick   2021 Dec 17, 8:47pm  

https://alexberenson.substack.com/p/kyrie-irving-wins/comments?source=patrick.net


Kyrie Irving wins.
Alex Berenson 3 hr ago
304
Unvaccinated and winning. Whether you are a nurse or an NBA superstar, they need you more than you need them.

And they’re wrong. And deep down they know it.

Never give up.

Never never never.






Scooter
We won today too! On Monday, we filed suit against Boeing & Raytheon companies, challenging their unlawful vaccine mandates as government contractors. Today, Boeing announced that it's suspending the vaccine mandate policy. We anticipate Raytheon may do the same, perhaps as early as next week (or face the legal consequences). The case is Case 5:21-cv-01668-HNJ, in the Northern Federal District of Alabama. Thanks to Alex for continuing keeping the pressure on, and bring attention to those who don't respect individual rights.
22   BayArea   2021 Dec 17, 10:07pm  

His body his choice.

But he’s not the ideal anti-vax ambassador (Kyrie is a dummy)

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