The Brooklyn Nets announced that security guard Kyrie Irving is out against the 76ers on Thursday for personal reasons, and head coach Steve Nash reportedly had not heard from the All-Star in the run-up to a tip.
He said in a press conference that when he learned that Irving was absent, he contacted the 28-year-old. According to The athleticJoe Vardon, a source said Irving is “OK,” but his timetable for returning is unclear.
It is not known at this point why Irving is absent from Thursday night and has not responded to his head coach; however, the events of the past 48 hours could have played a role.
On January 5, the Kenosha County (Wisc.) Prosecutor decided not to prosecute the police officer who shot Jacob Blake, leaving him paralyzed. The shooting took place on August 23, 2020, three months after George Floyd died while being violently stopped by police officers in Minneapolis.
Floyd’s death sparked protests around the world as the Black Lives Matter movement fought and advocated for racial and social justice.
This summer, Irving was reportedly against the restart of the league in the bubble amid the racial injustice, leading a June call of more than 80 players ahead of the restart. He advocated that players should focus on social injustice after Floyd’s death.
“I’m not in favor of going to Orlando,” he told the players, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. “I’m not with the systematic racism and the bulls – t.”
In the aftermath of the Blake shooting, NBA and WNBA players chose not to play in different games in protest. Multiple teams, like the Milwaukee Bucks, statements released in response to news from Kenosha.
“The Bucks organization remains vigorous against excessive use of force by law enforcement officials,” the statement read. “The past year has shed light on the ongoing racial injustice facing our African American and other marginalized communities … issues of social injustice and anti-racism and to make meaningful changes for African Americans and all marginalized members of our community. “
LeBron James, Irving’s former teammate, spoke about the prosecution’s decision during his post-game interview on Tuesday.
“Hearing what happened in Kenosha today was a blow to the heart and gut,” James said. “Not just for that community, but for us and for every black person who is part of this process and has been experiencing these results for so long. And not just in the black community, but also in the white community that moments like this happened to us happened to his family, happened to the child himself. ”To see that verdict was a blow to the gut and a blow to the heart.
“We have to stay strong, keep believing in each other and push for the greater of change and the greater good.”
Several NBA teams – the Heat, Celtics, Bucks and Pistons – responded before and during their games on Wednesday night.
“To be fair,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens, “after 30 minutes, I didn’t think we were going to play.”
The Miami and Boston players made a statement prior to the game and knelt during the national anthem.
“2021 is a new year, but some things haven’t changed”, read the statement. “The drastic difference between the way protesters were treated last spring and summer and the encouragement given to today’s protesters who acted illegally only goes to show how much more work we need to do.
“We have decided to play tonight’s game to try and bring joy to people’s lives. But we must not forget the injustices in our society, and we will continue to use our votes and our platform to raise awareness of these issues. and do everything to work for a more equal and just America. #BLACKLIVESSTILLMATTER “
The Milwaukee and Detroit players continued with the opening spot, knocked the ball out of bounds and knelt as one.