Kyrie Irving had his career completely sidetracked for two seasons due to his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and other off-court issues that nuked his stint with the Brooklyn Nets. The doctor responsible for the New York City vaccine mandate which forced Kyrie to miss over half a season, Dr. Jay Varma, was seen bragging about the same in a video leaked by Stephen Crowder.
“There was a basketball player named Kyrie Irving. He refused to get vaccinated, but because he played for the team in Brooklyn because of the vaccine mandates I passed, he was not allowed to play. It became a huge national issue about why Kyrie Irving wasn’t allowed to play because he refused to get vaccinated.”
“This is a fun part of my life. The Wall Street Journal did a whole story about me, about me being the one to block Kyrie from playing basketball.”
“I just think he’s asinine. He’s an ass. I am not in a position to tell him how to dribble better or how to shoot better… Why does he turn around and tell me… Don’t tell me how the science works.”
BREAKING: Former NYC Covid Policy Architect Dr. Jay Varma Bragged About Being The Person Responsible For Blocking @KyrieIrving From Playing Basketball For The @BrooklynNets After Irving Refused To Take The Covid Vaccine
"He refused to get vaccinated."
"He's an ass."
"Because… https://t.co/ttZ77QdU2k pic.twitter.com/3VGV3LdAqd
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) September 19, 2024
This is a delicate topic, as the video has been framed in a way to deny the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the population density of New York and how communicable the disease is, measures such as vaccine mandates were necessary to curb its spread. Creating an exemption for Kyrie to play basketball would be extremely unfair and the City had to treat all its citizens equally.
Irving didn’t take the vaccine out of concern for what it might to do his health, not because he didn’t believe in the severity of COVID-19. His right to choose was impinged upon by the mandate which had major professional consequences for him as well.
Watching a doctor flippantly discuss with a smile how he was covered in the Wall Street Journal for being responsible for Kyrie not playing basketball is extremely unsettling. Protecting residents from COVID is his civil responsibility, so he’s in a position to condemn Kyrie’s actions. However, his talking about the same as an achievement due to the notoriety he received is not right.
The mandate would be lifted before the end of the 2021-22 season, meaning Irving participated in the final end of the season, averaging xxx that year. It was a major roadblock for the franchise which would ultimately send Irving away from New York to Texas in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks.
Irving has found his professional groove again on the Mavericks, leading the team to the 2024 NBA Finals alongside Luka Doncic. The Nets, on the other hand, are getting ready to tank to the bottom of the standings this season to maximize their chances of getting the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
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