Kyrie Irving has been heavily talked about not just in sports media, but also in US national media due to his refusal to get vaccinated for COVID-19. As a result, he has not yet played in an NBA game this season.
Originally, New York’s vaccine mandate would prevent him from playing home games, but the Brooklyn Nets decided that they don’t want Irving as a part-time player, hence his inability to play at all.
While Irving has mostly been laying low since the decision, he has recently made an appearance at Seton Hall Pirates men’s basketball game against the Farleigh Dickinson Knights.
Kyrie Irving at the Seton Hall game tonight.
(via @NCAAhoopsdigest) pic.twitter.com/x1jRzgMFYA
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 11, 2021
According to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com, Kyrie Irving attended the game with Tim Thomas, a former Knicks player. Zagoria added that Irving is “close friends with Seton Hall guard Bryce Aiken”, as they went to the same high school (The Patrick School).
Irving and fellow New Jersey schoolboy legend Tim Thomas, who had two stints with the Knicks during his NBA career, were escorted onto the court by a staffer after the game began and took courtside seats. Both players wore masks throughout the game, and Irving wore a black cap as well.
Irving is close friends with Seton Hall guard Bryce Aiken, with both having attended St. Patrick High School/The Patrick School, and Irving clapped whenever Aiken scored or made a good play. Aiken finished with 15 points in the blowout victory. Irving left the court during halftime before returning in the second half, and Thomas said Irving would not be speaking to reporters. He departed again for good with the game well in hand.
It remains to be seen if Kyrie Irving will make more public appearances in the future, but it seems as though he was simply attempting to be at an important event for a friend.
Hopefully, Kyrie Irving will be able to play at some point this NBA season. He is a spectacular talent, and the game is better when he is playing. Perhaps we’ll see him and the Brooklyn Nets figure out a solution in the future.
