Just hours after the Nets announced that they would be suspending star point guard Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay for sharing a link to a film filled with extreme antisemitic lies, leaving it up for days, and then struggling to exhibit contrition through a series of contentious media interactions, Irving has now issued a statement on his personal Instagram account, directly apologizing for his recent actions and behavior.
“While doing research on YHWH, I posted a Documentary that contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish Race/Religion, and I take full accountability and responsibly for my actions,” Irving wrote. “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 Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary.”
“I want to clarify any confusion on where I stand fighting against Anti-[semitism] by apologizing for posting the documentary without context and a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the Documentary I agreed with and disagreed with,” Irving continued. “I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate. I am learning from this unfortunate event and hope we can find understanding between us all. I am no different than any other human being. I am a seeker of truth and knowledge, and I know who I Am.”
What further actions Brooklyn expects from Irving now remains to be seen. It seems possible that previously rumored conversations with the team’s majority owner Joe Tsai, league commissioner Adam Silver, and perhaps Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt may be required before the 2-6 Nets, who desperately need him on the court, welcome Irving back into the fold. Still, this letter marks an encouraging step for Irving’s eventual return to Brooklyn and the NBA.
It’s already too late at this point … the entire response was def rinsed and filtered through a PR team. Guess he didn’t want to give up more $$$
All apologies are done that way these days
This fool hasn’t been sorry a day in his life. He’s a fraud, who cares ZERO about winning. A true Cancer.
last year he showed dangerous stupidity, this vyear dangerous hate. What’s next? You will never win NY fans over.
Lakers.
Kyrie is the worst. And I don’t believe his apology. Why did it take you this long to do it? Also, “doing research” come on!
He’s not the worst, he’s trying to be a rebel but his actions are dumb and head scratching. So many better reasons to rebel against. For example corporations that pollute the planet? Why not voice against that Kyrie?
Le4fBasket ;
Why do you buy their products?
Kyrie is not a “rebel”. He is a “fool”.
Muhammad Ali, in the midst of the prime of his boxing career, refused to be drafted into the United States military which was required at the time. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison (never served).
Ali refused to be drafted on religious beliefs, and the fact that he personally had no problem with the people of Vietnam, and was opposed to the war.
This is taking a stand for your beliefs. Ali was the Heavyweight Champion of the World when he refused the draft. Was willing to give up his career, and go to jail.
Kyrie only has his P.R. people writing statements that he doesn’t believe. Why? Because the Nets didn’t sign him to a max extension, so he will be a free agent next year. Kyrie is only hoping to score another 3-year deal to bag another $100 million. Already too late for all of this.
That’s why Ali is a legend and Kyrie is a moron
Most of us, myself included, are not old enough to know what it meant to turn 18 years old, and then be facing getting drafted into the United States military. Wealthy guys like Trump used connections to get deferments. Athletes served! Guys like Ted Williams leaving Major League Baseball to fight in a war. You register with government “Selective Service” at 18, and at some point your number was gonna get pulled to go fight.
The earth is round
His brain is flat.
“I know who I am”…. I don’t agree with Kyrie on that one. It’s okay to admit your doing some soul-searching. He’s just done it publicly for years and now it’s gotten out of hand.
If anyone doesnt know who they are: its Kyrie and Kanye.
You misquoted. It actually said, “I am a seeker of truth and knowledge, and I know who I Am.”
(Note the narcissism exposed in the capitalization “I Am”).
PR written statement. Make him repeat all that on camera.
Hah. Greatpoint.
Has anything Kyrie has ever personally said or written sound like that statement?
He wrote and meant none of this
I truly believe Kyrie, himself, wrote…
the last two sentences.
jump shot;
I have suspicions that Kyrie knows how to write.
Many of these pro athletes seem to be perpetually 12 years old….if that.
Biggest problem with athletes is that they use social media, never anything good has come from social media!
Any reasonable folk would never go anywhere near of such places, you get your character assassinated only for turning up, no need to even give your opinion… if you give it, well…!
I’ll be forever grateful that Kyrie decided to play for the United States and not Australia. And also thanks Ben Simmons for ensuring the Aussie team will never pick him again.
Both are NBL players at this point, so they might as well come home
Yes…Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving can no longer hold their own in the NBA and have been reduced to NBL players.
I hate when people have absolutely nothing of substance to add to a conversation so they decide that saying idiotic things will be their contributions. You can also just stay quiet.
The old NBA “Stay in school” program has a new face
Tx god,he isnt bulls player. Kyrie is moron
It’s a real shame Kyrie has this “act first, think later” approach. He clearly can’t tell the difference between edgy, and ignorant. I mean, promoting something that denies one of history’s worst atrocities, is pretty bad. In the Holocaust, men, women and kids were rounded up, starved, gassed, shot, even operated on for experiments. That’s messed up, and Kyrie probably understands that’s messed up, but can’t stop tripping over himself.
It looks worse when he digs his heels in thinking he’s smarter than he actually is, then ends up giving an apology that no one believes. This whole thing is just another Kyrie moment that takes away from his job – playing ball.
Owners get crucified, certain players say what they want. League is a joke
Which team owners are getting crucified? Name them.
All the NBA needs to do now is suspend Miles Bridges for life & they will be punishing these guys equally for their “crimes”. Maybe even possible if they do the right thing here to look better than Law enforcement regarding Bridges
No he didn’t.. the Nets PR team wrote something and said it came from him… he should never play again.. at least not until the thick headed moron realizes what he says and how it impacts others.
No one really believes that Kyrie wrote or meant this, do they?
He can like the movie, he can believe in anti-semetism, it’s his right. What’s not ok though is the promotion and support of these things publicly. Athletes are still role models for kids, whether Chuck Barkley likes it or not, and what kind of example is he setting. He’s an embarrassment to basketball, and the human race as a whole.
Sure Kyrie seems just about as bright as a pound of nails, but everyone should take a good look at themselves and reconsider the everyday choices made instead of pointing the fingers.
I don’t think many people choose to be antisemitic, so we’re good to judge. Trying to deflect from the problem here, which is clearly Kyrie, makes it look like you’re excusing him.
Primo was waived, and likely to not play for a while lets hope… But, I will be impressed to see how the NBA suspends the entire Spurs franchise for misconduct. No way anybody is gonna buy Popovich was unaware of Primo’s conduct
The spurs cut him without publicly saying why.. I take that as a large indication they acted the moment they found out.
Well the lawsuit against the Spurs states that they knew in January of this year. If this is true, it’ll be pretty bad for Pop’s legacy and the Spurs image as a model franchise that do things the “right way”.
If im wrong and they cut him when the lawsuit was dropped.. that’s horrible for the entire organization not just pop
It’s funny all you guys are harping on the fact that he didn’t write it. None of these actors, politicians, etc ever write these apologies. I’m also willing to bet most of you cats follow politicians hook, line, and sinker who say and do things as ignorant as kyrie.
While Kylie is a clown and I’m not a fan, I do think they went overboard with him in this instance. The suspension and initial statement with donation were fine. All this breaking him down by the media and continuing to ask was he specifically “antisemitic” was a joke. That being said, he didn’t help himself by digging in his heels. I respect him for trying to stand his ground but this wasn’t a good instance.
You “respect him for trying to stand his ground”? As you, yourself, said (with great understatement, I hope), this wasn’t a good instance. I understand you have respect for someone standing their ground, but that respect is only deserved in matters that are unclear, where a person must stand on his heartfelt conviction; it’s not deserved in an instance like this where a person first, refuses to acknowledge the hate it instigates against Jews, the implications of his shortsighted actions, the pain it causes (again) to a minority group who has a long history of suffering (Jewish people), and then, secondly, ignorantly and immaturely, deflects criticism with great indignation. Nobody believes that in a matter of hours Irving went from his non-apology to this statement. I respectfully suggest you save your respect for people who have convictions that intend to help others, not for someone like Irving whose only motivation is to reflexively protect himself and his own interests without an honest self-appraisal.
Thank you for posting a rebuttal without trying to insult me at the same time.
When I said. ” I respect him for trying to stand his ground” I simply meant that he tried to not let the masses force him into saying/doing something he didn’t believe was right.
In his mind, he wasn’t and isn’t an antisemite. He has never said anything against Jewish people nor called for their murder. He simply posted a book, much of which he claims not to agree with. A situation that I have already admitted isn’t a good instance. Furthermore, he even donated $500k to the cause of the same people that folks were trying to say he was “anti”. He even said he was an omnist and respected all people.
Dude is guilty of being a clown and posting a book/movie he probably didn’t even truly read or understand. Trying to make him out to be some type of Hitler sympathizer is a joke.
Thanks for recognizing that I wasn’t trying to insult you. I think your inclination to support a man who’s willing to stand alone with his convictions and to give Irving the benefit of the doubt, which is admirable, is not supported here, in this instance, by 1) the bigoted and hateful nature of the material that Irving, at least passively and implicitly, supported by posting a link to this book and movie; 2) the COMPLETE lack of context that Irving provided along with the link, allowing anybody who sees it as tacit approval by an NBA superstar, the cache of whom has such weight that shoe companies and other businesses pay millions of dollars for it; and 3) Irving’s complete lack of understanding for and lack of acknowledgement of the seriousness, potential harm and the context of his action in this instance. His continued rationalization by saying things like, “I didn’t make the movie or right the book” and insistence that he didn’t do or say anything hateful completely overlooks and minimizes the fact that some people, especially young people, would use his link, with the assumption that Irving had, in fact watched or read the material, and that he supported/believed it. The sad irony is that an open-minded and well-meaning person like yourself is spending infinitely more energy trying to give him Irving the benefit of the doubt than he is reflecting on his actions or clarifying his purposely unclear views. Also sadly missing in all of this is the complete silence from his fellow players on this matter, specifically to say Irving was wrong in his views and in posting the link, particularly from noted social commenter (when serving his own purpose) LeBron James. Thank you.
“…The sad irony is that an open-minded and well-meaning person like yourself is spending infinitely more energy trying to give him Irving the benefit of the doubt than he is reflecting on his actions or clarifying his purposely unclear views. Also sadly missing in all of this is the complete silence from his fellow players on this matter, specifically to say Irving was wrong in his views and in posting the link…”
Well, I can’t disagree with any of that. He is clearly a clown (earth is flat?) and posting that book is wrong… PERIOD. Furthermore, I agree that the lack of outrage from his peers is hypocritical but athletes aren’t unique in this regard AT ALL. Police officers, political organizations, work unions, racial and religious groups, etc. all engage in the same self-serving practice of failing to address their members’ transgressions. It’s actually why I’m reluctant to throw the book of judgment at anyone
You make an excellent point about the groups you list, as well as many others, not criticizing their own. You’re absolutely correct. My problem isn’t with the majority of the players in the NBA, who are just trying to make a living, or work for another contract, etc., who are almost never heard from because they’re not superstars, and wouldn’t comment publicly because they are fully aware of the pecking order in athletics. My problem is specifically with people like LeBron, who go out of their way to be heard from on all sorts of injustices, in a self-centered attempt to score easy points with the public because their commentary shows “leadership.” Yes, I know LeBron finally commented on this case (it took him long enough), but his commentary comes off as too little, too late. I have far more respect for Enes Kanter, hardly a superstar, who comments at personal risk about injustice around the world (and not just rights abuses in Turkey). As an imperfect Christian, I try not to throw the book at others, either, but as I’m sure you understand, that’s not the same as reacting negatively and strongly to Irving’s dangerous attitude in this instance, or calling him out for his attempt to obfuscate his responsibility by using tactics meant to question his questioner.
1) Would you be ok with a white player posting bigotry against black people? If your answer is anything but yes, you’re a hypocrite and need to look in the mirror on that 2) Not only did he not apologize, the most he would say is he “takes responsibility” for his words and actions… to me, that says he’s doubling, tripling down on his belief that jews were the true slave holders (a lie) and that they deserve to be wiped from the face of the earth for it.
The NPD this guy displays is truly gigantic.
It’s revealing that it only took 4 hours after his suspension for this forced apology post to show up. I guess he “learned” that there actually ARE lines NBA stars can’t cross without consequences.
I came here to post the same thing. It’s no coincidence that his apology came out immediately after he was suspended. Whether he wrote it himself or not, I doubt it would have been written at all if he hadn’t been suspended.
Kyrie, like Kanye, needs to learn to shut his mouth. We don’t need to hear every thought in your brain dude. In fact, I’d imagine most of us would rather not hear any of them.
Twitter will be dead within 6 months, wonder what will happen then?!?
Social media is one of the worst things about the internet. Just nonsense that needs to end.
The world was perfectly fine when social media didn’t exist.
Linking Kyrie to Kanye??? Ouch, that hurts. But spot-on and completely deserved and appropriate. If that isn’t motivation enough for Kyrie to do some deep, deep, DEEP soul-searching, I don’t know what is. Well executed, DarkSide.
They need to do a lot more than “shut their mouth” Kanye apparently idolizes Adolf Hitler and wants to murder me for my heritage.. he can go away forever..I never want to see or hear his racist name again…. Kyrie is just an ignorant moron. He’s too stupid to realize what he’s doing or saying… and that’s a major problem. Everything this clown does screams immaturity and stupidity.
Of course, but shutting up WOULD certainly be a good start.