Why was Kyrie Irving suspended? Controversy explained amid NBA star’s rant about racists

NBA star Kyrie Irving is back making headlines thanks to his latest comments about racism and racial prejudice. His statements come in the wake of his controversial past in the year 2022, when the Brooklyn Nets suspended him for pushing antisemitic content.

In October of that year, he posted a link on social media to Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, a documentary criticized for containing antisemitic content.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and others condemned the film for promoting extremist beliefs, including the notion that modern Jewish people are impostors who stole the religious heritage of Black people.

Faced with increasing backlash, Kyrie Irving refused at first to issue an apology or to disapprove of the antisemitic material in the film. Stating that he believed in the right to share, he said:

"We’re in 2022. History is not supposed to be hidden from anybody and I’m not a divisive person when it comes to religion, I embrace all walks of life."

His refusal to take responsibility led the Brooklyn Nets to suspend him for at least five games, declaring that he was currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets. The NBA also called on him to apologize, with Commissioner Adam Silver expressing disappointment that Irving did not specifically apologize.

More about Kyrie Irving’s apology and his recent talk about racism

After facing many controversies and speculations revolving around him, Kyrie Irving later apologized in a post on Instagram by expressing his sorrow for the pain he caused to the Jewish community. He 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,"

The ADL refused to accept a $500,000 donation from Irving and Nike terminated its endorsement deal with him, canceling the release of its signature shoe collaboration with the basketball star.

According to Baller Alert, during a recently recorded livestream session, Irving spoke passionately about issues of racial disparity, claiming that people should not be judged by the color of their skin. He denounced historic racial violence and the lingering impact of racism and said:

“Growing up in this society, just because you have this different skin tone, you have different rules to abide by — or you can’t be proud of your history because of skin tone, because people really got killed because of [it],” Irving stated.

He further added,

"Do you realize how stupid that is? You know how ignorant you’ve gotta be to put somebody in a tree and hang them because they’re black? That’s probably the dumbest s**t I’ve ever heard to be honest with you."

Kyrie Irving’s comments showcased his view of the history of systemic racial discrimination that many communities face. He also stressed the importance of unity and coexistence.