Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving faced some serious backlash earlier this week over what was seen as support for a film considered to be pushing antisemitic ideals.
Irving sent out a tweet as well as an Instagram post featuring the film, which even drew ire from Nets team owner Joe Tsai who wanted to have a chat with his starting point guard.
I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.
— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) October 29, 2022
In response to said backlash, Kyrie Irving spoke at length about why he felt that the antisemitic narrative being hurled against him over the social media posts is being looked at the wrong way. You can catch his whole response below:
Kyrie Irving addresses the backlash to his recent social media posts after Saturday night's game in Brooklyn. pic.twitter.com/tSuxGrNbbM
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 30, 2022
Here is the transcript for most of the Kyrie Irving press conference. pic.twitter.com/R7sPk07q8p
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) October 30, 2022
Irving later gets frustrated with ESPN reporter Nick Friedell, who pressed him on the matter. The Nets guard responded by questioning the focus being given to what he posts on social media rather than other issues instead.
Via Laura Albanese:
“Kyrie Irving yells “change your life, bro” after Nick Friedell pushes him on the antisemitic rhetoric in the movie. Says ‘I wish we cared more about Black reproductive rights and all the things that actually matter than what I'm posting.'”
Kyrie Irving yells "change your life, bro" after @NickFriedell pushes him on the antisemitic rhetoric in the movie. Says "I wish we cared more about Black reproductive rights and all the things that actually matter than what I'm posting."
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) October 30, 2022
With Kanye West making headlines for his antisemitic rants of late, it's been a pretty prevalent topic under the public eye. Kyrie Irving is rarely one to back down from his personal beliefs. While he's vocal about not advocating for antisemitism or propagating the narrative that's associated with the film, it's not exactly sound social media practice to share something as controversial as he did. But for better or for worse, Kyrie Irving isn't one to conform.
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