If there’s anyone in the NBA who is not afraid to speak up and speak out on social issues, it’s Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving. He has taken a stand on various topics over the years, with the most notable being his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the height of the pandemic.
While things have simmered down a lot since then, Irving still frequently fights for causes he feels are just. One such cause is the defense of young Palestinians, who have been caught in the crossfire of the raging Israel-Hamas war. One victim, five-year-old Hind Rajab, was recently killed in the conflict, prompting support from NFL linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who broke NFL rules by writing her name on his eye black.
Azeez was fined $11K for the act, but Irving recently announced that he’d cover every penny.
“Pro Bowl middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair fined $11,492 for unauthorized message on eye black Sunday vs. Bills,” wrote Aaron Wilson on X. “Hind Rajab was a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by the Israeli military, firing several bullets, along with six family members in Gaza City on January 29, 2024. Audio recordings of Hind calling for help sparked international outrage. In August, the Israeli military confirmed soldiers fired on the vehicle and ordered an internal criminal investigation into the incident.”
As someone worth well over $90 million, it’s no major sacrifice for Irving to pay Azeez’s fine, but it’s a powerful show of solidarity for an athlete who, like Irving, is not afraid to speak his mind. If nothing else, it raises the conversation around a sensitive and highly controversial topic.
I’ll take care of his fine https://t.co/RUo9jXkCFu
— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) September 16, 2026
Irving didn’t stop there, though. In his typical fashion, he followed up his gesture with additional action, leading his fans to other tragedies in Gaza through a post on his Instagram story. Regardless of his views on the war itself, Irving is going out of his way to share these stories in hopes of shedding light on the ongoing catastrophe.
After 14 years in the NBA (and counting), Kyrie Irving has amassed great respect across the league, and it’s not hard to see why. As much as he has accomplished in the game, he’s always been more focused on what’s happening in the world. While some of his views are more outlandish than others, his heart is seemingly always in the right place, and he’s never afraid to say how he feels.
While his latest show of senselessness is something far more serious than the game, it’s another glaring example of the strong leadership and selfless humility that have made him so popular over his NBA career. On the Mavericks, Irving may not be what he once was, but there is a sense that he can lead them to something great if he stays healthy and plays up to his usual standards.
As for the sad situation in Gaza, we can expect that Kyrie will have plenty more to say for as long as the war goes on. More than that, Irving will show support for those who take a similar stance against senseless war and violence.
