An NBA television personality and journalist made a startling demand for Duke basketball star Kyrie Irving.
Things have gone off the rails for former Duke basketball star Kyrie Irving in his second season with the Brooklyn Nets (6-6).
After an injury and pandemic plagued his first season, Irving was fully healthy alongside Kevin Durant in Brooklyn for a chase at the NBA Championship.
After two dominating wins, nothing has gone right for the Nets in the 2020-21 season.
Irving left the team, unannounced, on January 7, with many questioning the reasoning for his absence and since causing a major distraction to the team.
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There was speculation that Kyrie Irving was not playing following the attack on the United States Capitol on January 7, something that no other NBA player had done following the attack.
However, the absence is now lingering on a week long, missing five games, including Wednesday night’s matchup with the New York Knicks (7:30pm EST, ESPN), which Kyrie Irving has officially been listed as ‘out’ for.
To make matters worse, videos have surfaced of Kyrie Irving breaking the NBA’s health and safety protocols, dancing and appearing maskless at a birthday party for his father over the weekend.
Videos have surfaced of Kyrie Irving at a large birthday gathering alongside his sister, Asia.
— Billy Reinhardt (@BillyReinhardt) January 12, 2021
Kyrie’s sister & dad have birthdays this week.
Given the size of the gathering & now public nature of it, Kyrie might now have to undergo a quarantine period before returning. https://t.co/McrYtFH9XK pic.twitter.com/U4T1KAvMTl
https://twitter.com/Jinglesss/status/1349039317235077121?s=20
Irving was also pictured in a virtual meeting on Tuesday night as the Nets were tipping off in their matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Kyrie Irving appears to have attended a virtual event for Manhattan District Attorney candidate, Tahanie Aboushi, at 7 tonight.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) January 13, 2021
The Nets tipped off against the Nuggets in Barclays at 7:30. https://t.co/5hHcWZIWik
Since his departure from the team, the Brooklyn Nets have described his absence as “personal reasons” and have no timetable for his return.
ESPN personality has a strong request of Duke basketball standout Kyrie Irving
As the drama of Kyrie Irving has swept the NBA landscape, ESPN television personality Stephen A. Smith had a startling request for Irving and the rest of his NBA career:
.@stephenasmith is calling for Kyrie Irving to retire. pic.twitter.com/04zqsudeNG
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 13, 2021
A bold take from one of the most respected NBA personalities and journalists regarding one of the best players in the league.
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Smith also stated that eight-time NBA All-Star James Harden no longer wishes to be traded from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets because of the drama surrounding the franchise and Kyrie Irving.
It remains to be seen when Kyrie Irving will return to the Brooklyn Nets, but it’s certain that talk and speculation of his absence will not be forgotten anytime soon.