Once again, Kyrie Irving has made a lot of noise around the NBA. The controversial Brooklyn Nets player decided it was a good idea to share a movie full of antisemitism on social media, stirring the pot last week. While people like Kanye West showed their support for Kyrie, the vast majority of fans have blasted the point guard.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver revealed he was ‘very disappointed in the 2016 NBA champion, as well as NBPA president CJ McCollum. The Nets suspended him for at least five games and won’t take him again until he completes a series of conditions.
This is a very sensitive topic, and the lone Jewish player in the league explained how ‘upsetting’ this situation can be. Deni Avdija of the Washington Wizards recently talked about this, saying how dangerous it is to share certain ideas when you have a big platform like Kyrie.
Jewish Wizards Forward Deni Avdija Shares Thoughts On Kyrie Irving Controversy
Talking to Noah Trister of The Associated Press, Avdija, who is in his third season in the league, had this to say:
“I think people look up to him,” Avdija said. “You can think whatever you want, you can do whatever you want. Just, I don’t think it’s right to go out in public and publish it and let little kids that follow you see it, and the generations that come after to think like that, because it’s not true, and I don’t think it’s fair.”
“I’m Jewish, and I love my culture, I love my country,” he said. “It’s a little upsetting to hear some stuff about your religion. Just spread love, man. Love everybody, love all cultures.”
Deni revealed that he’s spoken to many Jewish around the world, and some have even given him advice on how to deal with antisemitism.
“In terms of things like that, it’s always going to be there. It will never go away,” he said. “It’s just, if you want to pay attention to the stuff or you just want to keep moving and focus on the important stuff in life. I’m a positive guy. I’m not looking for the bad things.”
Avdija admits that he agrees with the punishment the Nets gave to Kyrie, saying that these actions should have consequences, no matter who does them.
“I think there need to be consequences for the actions that players do,” he said. “I don’t know the amount, the punishment that the league gives, but I think it needs to be known that there’s no room for words like that.”
This situation could have easily been avoided, but now we’re living in another controversy involving Kyrie Irving. Everybody has had something to say, and even though he’s suspended now, more people keep talking about it. Kyrie is definitely a polarizing player, and he keeps doing things that make a lot of folks mad.
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