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Kyrie Irving once again dropped a polarizing quote (what's new?) that lit NBA Twitter on fire. The Dallas Mavericks point guard gave his thoughts on the widely used and oft-criticized term “load management” and how it has allegedly “dehumanized” NBA players who've been associated with the label.
Irving claimed that the term “load management” has developed a negative connotation that is somewhat of an affront against NBA players and what they do to prepare for their job, via Ben Golliver:
“I don’t know who created the term ‘load management.’ … I don’t know who started the narrative but it’s completely run amok. I think it’s dehumanized some of us in terms of the way we prepare ourselves day to day. This is a 24/7 job.”
Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving: “I don’t know who created the term ‘load management.’ … I don’t know who started the narrative but it’s completely run amok. I think it’s dehumanized some of us in terms of the way we prepare ourselves day to day. This is a 24/7 job.” pic.twitter.com/yhAmmRx5Qr
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 18, 2023
The fans didn't exactly side with Kyrie Irving on this one. A handful found it to be an odd stance considering Irving has missed games for reasons that didn't even have to do with basketball; never mind the load management part of it all.
“This is a 24/7 job” – kyrie Irving after he sat out more than half an entire season
— The Kid LaTroy (@tms0517) February 18, 2023
Kyrie the funniest lol klay and kawhi do load management, you do no call no shows 😭 https://t.co/3epQvMY3k4
— We gon make it (@Harpersisland__) February 19, 2023
https://twitter.com/LouAyeBurner/status/1627071036985597954
Others were confused by Kyrie Irving being offended by the term at all, given that “load management” relates to boundaries being set on NBA players' bodies so they don't take as much of a beating from the 82-game regular season grind. Teams routinely rest players despite not having an ongoing unplayable injury, but rather just to give them rest, which roughly translate to a more formal label like load management.
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I know it's Kyrie but it's incredible how this is the exact opposite of true. Load management is literally being aware of a body's limitations and not running you into the ground like a hoop-playing robot. 24/7 jobs are dehumanizing. Besides, you need time for all your research https://t.co/4tjUYgplXm
— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) February 19, 2023
https://twitter.com/sam999worlddd/status/1627208755560566784
I like kyrie. Always have defended him. But most employees barely get time off. We don’t get an off-season. Most only get 1 vacation week per year. A few days PTO. Some don’t even get that. Mostly because we can’t afford time off. So spare us with this load management stuff https://t.co/iwHi9emaXh
— Michael Sales (@PrinceLeo103) February 19, 2023
Some took it a step further, claiming Irving uses a double standard when it comes to the expression “dehumanizing”.
Kyrie is out here crying about “load management narrative” dehumanizing people. Guess he only cares when he’s in the crosshairs of dehumanization
— CapsSzn Realist (@NatsRealist) February 19, 2023
Kyrie loves to claim ppl are dehumanizing him LMAO
— ya moms a hoe (@Joncase1113) February 19, 2023
Wherever Kyrie Irving goes, controversy certainly follows. On the basketball front, Dallas has split their games 2-2 when he's played thus far. Mavs fans can only hope that the talking points on Kyrie stay focused on basketball rather than any off court controversies involving their new point guard.
