Nets point guard Kyrie Irving made an amazing gesture for WNBA players.
For as much flak as Nets star Kyrie Irving receives for decomposing locker rooms, he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his incredible charity work off the court.
In light of the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd — an unarmed black man who was killed while in the custody of Minnesota police officers — the Brooklyn Nets point guard has admirably let his motivation to trigger social reform and weed out racism take center stage. Not only has he issued powerful statements condemning racism, but he has even been seen on the front lines of peaceful protests.
On top of that, Irving hasn’t refrained from voicing his opposition to the NBA restart amid the global pandemic. If attempting to dissuade his colleagues from playing didn’t articulate how strongly the six-time All-Star felt about this cause, this news will surely do the trick.
Several reports have confirmed that Irving has committed $1.5 million to help support the income of WNBA players who choose to sit out the 2020 season due to health and other personal reasons.
Nets’ Kyrie Irving has started a $1.5 million fund for WNBA players who choose to sit out the 2020 WNBA season due to personal, professional, health, and/or safety-related reasons.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 27, 2020
“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” Irving said in a statement via the Associated Press.
The former No. 1 overall pick revealed that he learned more about the financial burden that players who decide to opt out of playing in the bubble could face without a consistent paycheck following a conversation with WNBA players Jewell Loyd and Natasha Cloud.
The WNBA season commenced this past weekend and the entirety of it will be played at IMG Academy in Florida to to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. As expected, several notable players — like Tina Charles, Kristi Toliver, Chiney Ogwumike and Liz Cambage, to name a few — cited health concerns as their reason to opt out of participating.
Kyrie Irving is committing $1.5 million to supplement the income of #WNBA players who choose not to play this season, whether it be because of coronavirus concerns or social justice reasons.https://t.co/2N6oy3bukT
— Brian Mahoney (@briancmahoney) July 27, 2020
This is an incredible gesture from Irving and it further proves that he’s one of the most charitable players that the NBA has to offer.
The magnitude behind this commitment is undeniable, but it really isn’t surprising given the Duke product’s heartwarming track record of extending a helping hand.