Kyrie Irving said Saturday that he doesn't believe he did anything wrong after posting the link to a film on social media that many have labeled antisemitic.

Irving spoke following the Brooklyn Nets' 125-116 loss to the Indiana Pacers, standing by his posts of the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, which led to an uproar from the public due to its antisemitic and homophobic undertones.

“I’m not here to argue over a culture or a person or a religion and what they believe. This is what is here. It’s on a public platform,” Irving said. “Did I do anything illegal? Did I hurt anybody? Did I harm anybody? Am I going out and saying that I hate one specific group of people? So out of all the judgment that people got out of me posting I just, without talking to me, and I respect what Joe [Tsai] said, but there has a lot to do with not ego or pride with how proud I am of my African heritage but also to be living as a free Black man here in America knowing the historical complexities for me to get here.

“So I'm not going to stand down on anything I believe in. I'm only going to get stronger because I'm not alone. I have a whole army around me.”

https://twitter.com/KyrieIrving/status/1585704113433677829

The posts led to widespread criticism Friday. An article from Rolling Stone cited several reviews of the film that explain its controversial connection to the Black Hebrew Israelites.

“Both (reviews) suggest Hebrews to Negroes espouse ideas in line with more extreme factions of the Black Hebrew Israelites, which have a long history of misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and especially antisemitism.”

In response to the controversy, the Nets released a statement condemning all forms of hate speech. Nets owner Joe Tsai also voiced his disappointment in Irving's decision to post the film.

Despite this, the Nets guard said he does not agree that the material was antisemitic, or that he was promoting it.

“History is not supposed to be hidden from anybody, and I'm not a divisive person when it comes to religion,” Irving said. “I embrace all walks of life, and you see it on all my platforms. I talk to all races, all cultures, all religions. And my response would be, it’s not about educating yourself on what Semitism is or what Antisemitism is. It’s really about learning the root words, or where these come from, and understanding that this is an African heritage that is also belonging to the people. Africa is in it, whether we want to dismiss it or not.”

“I grew up in a melting pot. And I say the melting pot of all races: white, black, red, yellow, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and you see the way I live my life now,” he continued. “I’m not here to be divisive, so they can push their agenda— I don’t want to say ‘they’, because I’m not identifying any one group or race of people— but I’m in a unique position to have a level of influence on my community, and what I post does not mean that I support everything that’s been said, or everything that’s being done, or (that) I’m campaigning for anything. All I do is post things for our people in my community, and those that it’s actually going to impact. Anybody else that has criticism that obviously wasn’t meant for them.”

Irving has a massive following on social media, with 17.5 million followers on Instagram and 4.5 million on Twitter. Despite his acknowledgment of his influence within his own community less than a minute prior, Irving blamed the media for “treating him differently” and “making up his powerful influence” when using his platform.

“There’s things being posted every day. I’m no different from the next human being, so don’t treat me any different,” he said. “You guys come in here and make up this powerful influence that I have over top of the adultery of, you cannot post that. Why not? Why not?”

Irving said he routinely searches for films before games that “talk about history or finance, talk about the state of the world.” The 11-year NBA veteran said he searched the meaning of his name on Google and found that “Kyrie” translates to “Yahweh” in Hebrew, meaning “a title given to Christ.” Irving said he came across the film when typing “Yahweh” into Amazon Prime.

“I'm all over the place when it comes to really elevating my consciousness, because I didn't get it in school,” he said. “All I did was get seven hours a day being indoctrinated and brainwashed on a history that doesn't belong to me or my ancestors.”

When challenged on his decision to promote the antisemitic film, Irving got into a heated exchange with ESPN's Nick Friedell.

“I’m promoting it? I put it out there just like you put things out there. You put things out there for a living, right? Great, so let’s move on,” he said. “Don’t dehumanize me up here. I can post whatever I want, so say that and shut it down and move on to the next question.”

The press conference ended abruptly, and on his way off the podium Irving stopped and said, “I wish we felt the same about Black reproductive rights, and all the things that actually matter [instead of] what I’m posting.”

Irving made another controversial post on Instagram six weeks ago, reposting a video of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who has made countless erroneous claims like the the Sandy Hook mass shooting being fake. The video featured Jones claiming the existence of a “New World Order,” which he described as a tyrannical group working behind the scenes to control all aspects of society.

Irving emphasized that he does not support Jones, but defended his decision to repost the video and emphasized his belief in that specific conspiracy theory.

“That was a few weeks ago,” Irving said. “I do not stand by Alex Jones’ position, narrative, court case that he had with Sandy Hook or any of the kids that felt like they had to relive trauma or the parents that had to relive trauma or to be dismissive to all the lives that were lost during that tragic event.

“My post was a post that Alex Jones did in the early 90s or late 90s about secret societies in America, of occults—and it’s true. I wasn’t identifying with anything being a campaign for Alex Jones or anything. It’s just here are posts, and it’s funny, it’s actually hilarious because out of all the things I posted that day that was the one post everyone chose to see. It just goes back to the way our world is and works. I’m not here to complain about it. I just exist.”

The NBA released a statement Saturday condemning hate speech in response to Irving's actions, although it did not mention him by name.

“Hate speech of any kind is unacceptable and runs counter to the NBA’s values of equality, inclusion and respect,” the NBA’s statement read. “We believe we all have a role to play in ensuring such words or ideas, including antisemitic ones, are challenged and refuted and we will continue working with all members of the NBA community to ensure that everyone understands the impact of their words and actions.”