Kyrie Irving has been the headline of news sources recently following his recent media boycott. After some back-and-forth, and a moment in which he talked about people being “pawns,” he eventually retracted, ending his boycott and clarifying some of his statements.
Still, the criticisms didn’t stop for Kyrie, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith went on the air of First Take to deliver a particularly potent message about his recent antics:
“Somebody Kyrie respected, loved, and idolized was Kobe Bryant. I don’t think Kobe Bryant would be happy.
What you could never dispute about Kobe Bryant is that you didn’t understand what he was saying. He was very clear in his message. The issue with Kyrie Irving is not only does he not appear to be clear but also he’s taking it to levels that it doesn’t need to be taken. You wanted to make sure there were no distractions. What possible distraction did you expect on media day to start an NBA season? Obviously, people are there to talk to you about basketball.
.@stephenasmith has one very straightforward message for Kyrie Irving: be clear about what you're saying. pic.twitter.com/mjtGwyNFER
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 15, 2020
Stephen A. has since got a lot of criticism from fans, who feel he crossed a line by invoking the name of Kobe. No matter your opinions on the matter, he is right in that Bryant was never cryptic in his message. He said what needed to be said and he moved on.
In the case of Kyrie, he’s ultimately trying to do what he feels is best for him and his team. Despite the confusion and a history of questionable statements, it seems he’s ready to put it all behind him and let his game do the talking.
