By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Reinstated by the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving was efficient with 14 points, five rebounds, one steal, and one block Sunday. He helped his side clinch the home win versus the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Never had a doubt,” he responded to a question about potentially fearing he would not get a chance to get back with the Nets following the recent suspension.
As members of the group Black Hebrew Israelites gathered outside the Barclays Center, the 2016 NBA champion made his intentions clear. “I did not see it,” he said during the postgame press conference following the 2022-23 Regular Season contest, part of the latest edition of NBA Sundays. “I think that is a conversation for another day. I am just here to focus on the game,” he further underlined.
Irving, 30, promoting an antisemitic movie via social media and initially refusing to apologize resulted in being suspended by the team earlier this month. Following the most recent stir of controversy shifting the general focus away from his basketball abilities and completing the required steps to return to action, he seemed determined to keep the postgame press conference on the actual game but reserved the right of considering filing a grievance.
“I got to leave that to my legal team. Leave it to the warriors I have around me. I have some strong people, men and women, around me that are going to do everything possible to make sure I am protected and my family is protected. And we protect one another,” noted the Australia-born point guard, “I am sure some things will be done in the future. There is no timetable on that right now.”
“I would like to be on a platform where I can openly share how I feel without being harshly criticized or being labeled or dealing with the outside perceptions that have nothing to do with me,” he described as the optimal path moving forward.
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