Brooklyn Nets: Kyrie Irving committed to Nets success despite media woes

Heading into the second half of the season, some Brooklyn Nets fans may have concerns about the reliability and commitment of All-Star guard Kyrie Irving. Concerns that may have been deemed “water under the bridge” may have re-emerged with Irving’s latest media controversy.

Irving is back under the league’s microscope for abandoning his NBA All-Star pregame interview. All players were authorized and mandated to speak with the media prior to the All-Star festivities, an honor which Irving relinquished.

This is the latest event embodying Irving’s purported distaste and contempt for engaging with the media. Irving was fined $25,000 earlier in the year for refusing to talk to the media during training camp.

The accumulation of media-related issues and Irving’s abrupt seven-game absence nine games into the season have left some fans speculating about Irving’s adherence to the Brooklyn Nets’ organizational goals. Although concern may be warranted, Kyrie’s media-discord and his commitment to Brooklyn are more than likely separate extraneous entities.

In Irving’s post-All-Star Game interview, he clearly expressed his dissatisfaction for the media’s disregard for his philanthropy and off-court charitable endeavors, saying, “Nobody asks me about what I’m doing out here in the community, they kind of just assume.”

Irving is right. In the times where controversial “hot takes” flood the search engines and airwaves, humanitarian efforts from athletes rarely garner much attention. Irving has been a noble stalwart for his charitable attributions and his efforts to shine light on social injustices.

Kyrie’s contributions include, but are not limited to:

• Committing $1.5 million to WNBA players at the rise of the pandemic through “The Kai Empowerment Initiative”.
•  Purchasing a house for the family of George Floyd.
• Financial support for food banks/charities across New York and New Jersey, as well as tuition paid for incoming college students.

Simply put, Kyrie puts his money where his mouth is.

Irving is a deep-thinker, truth-seeker of sorts with a deep compassion for helping and empowering others. He is an advocate for mental, physical, and spiritual wellness and expresses great admiration for the history of his African-indigenous roots.

Kyrie’s outspoken demeanor and the tone of his forthright approach to sensitive topics are presented with genuine intent, no matter what you believe.

This isn’t to pervert the narrative or absolve Irving from all media critique and pundit criticism. Whether direct or indirect, Irving can send conflicting messages when addressing the media about questionable public events.

The desire for players to keep personal affairs private should be respected by the media and pundits alike. However, in regard to team matters, it may prove beneficial for Irving to effectively address situations and speculation, as opposed to leaving the media to decipher his actions.

Professionalism manifests in more forms than what happens on the court, and media obligations play a lucrative role in the makeup of the NBA conglomerate. Whether for contractual reasons or by bringing awareness to Irving’s social consciousness, a cordial relationship with the media would prove beneficial.

The human element has to be brought into play. Kyrie is an ordinary individual that just so happens to play basketball at a superior level. He has to live, learn, and navigate life (unfortunately) in the public eye.

In light of the aforementioned, there has been no sign of Irving lacking compassion for the game of basketball or his commitment to the Nets’ success. Irving has been amazing for the Nets and may arguably be playing the best ball of his career.

Halfway through the season, Irving is nearly averaging a career high with 27.2 points, accompanied by six assists per contest.

Irving has shown the ability to efficiently score and bolster the Nets offense while still developing team chemistry and getting others involved. In fourth quarter late-game situations, he has proven to be one of the most clutch players in the league.

The Nets start the second half of the season at Barclays with a matchup against Irving’s former team, the Boston Celtics. Going into Thursday, the Nets look to pick up where they left off, winning 10 out of their last 11 games prior the break.

With the optimism of Kevin Durant soon reuniting with the team, accompanied by the acquisition of Oklahoma native and six-time all-star Blake Griffin (and possibly others), the Nets undeniably will be a formidable force.

Don’t let Irving’s perceived mood foul it up for you.

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