Kyrie Irving is one of the most polarizing NBA players of all time, as his attitudes and thoughts on political and scientific matters are always ‘questionable’, to say the least. Just last season, Kyrie refused to take the controversial COVID-19 vaccine, which cost him a lot of playing time, and according to him, a multi-year extension with the Brooklyn Nets.
Irving has missed a lot of time due to injuries and his antics, which has earned him criticism even from his own fans. He’s hoping to change that this season, as the Nets are championship contenders.
He’s been linked with a move away to Los Angeles to reunite with LeBron James, but none of that has happened so far. Irving is just confident in his current team and wants to win with them no matter what.
Kyrie Irving Makes Bold Claim About His NBA Career
During a recent interview with Nick Friedell of ESPN, Ky talked about the future of his career, making it clear he’s not planning to stop playing the game no matter what happens around him.
How much longer do you want to play?
Irving: I’m never going to stop playing. You hear me? Get that — I am never going to stop playing. This is not even a debate. It’s not a consideration.
But you seem like a guy who thinks about a whole bunch of different stuff —
Irving: For sure … [But] I want to maximize on all those opportunities, to get to know people on this level. On other levels — and to be a bridge. So I can bring people to show what it’s like to play at this level, what it’s like to be at this level, teach the youth … what it’s like to get to this level, to be a professional. I feel like I was a professional since 8 years old, 9 years old, because I was doing it more than I was going to school. I was doing it more than I was hanging out with my friends, hanging out with my family, I was doing it day and night. …
It was a passion, but I also chose that. … Coming into the league at 19 years old, no one gives you that guideline or game plan of what the league is going to require of you, so that’s what I’m saying. It’s a great partnership with the NBA and I appreciate being a player here. And there are goals that I have outside of the NBA, but as of right now, I’m just focused on this.
This season will be crucial for Kyrie. After a terrible 2021-22 campaign, the Nets carry big pressure on their shoulders. If they can’t live up to expectations, it’s highly likely that Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons will get shipped away. They need to prove themselves as soon as possible, or the situation won’t look any promising for them.
