Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has become exceedingly well known for three things.
One, being an exceptional basketball player.
Two, refusing to get vaccinated for COVID-19, which caused him to miss a significant number of games this past season.
Three, saying really weird things and lacking a lot of self-awareness.
This is what leads us to a recent interview in which Irving referred to himself as a “martyr” over missing NBA games because of New York State requirements related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
This is the point where we remind everyone that, to be a martyr, you have to be dead.
Irving has not been shy in the way he’s discussed the past couple of years and his insistence on not getting vaccinated. He recently went on a rare Twitter rant denouncing critics, reporters, and “puppet masters” while also describing those who criticize the Brooklyn Nets over their disappointing season as part of a “twisted/racist society.” It’s a lot.
Irving’s reputation for speaking out against…things, has certainly garnered him a certain reputation in NBA circles. And his latest comments received a ton of reactions from fans and other NBA folks, including Irving’s recent nemesis, Stephen A. Smith.
https://twitter.com/TommyBeer/status/1522224989092651008
No doubt, Irving will see the backlash to referring to himself as a “martyr” and come up with something entirely for everyone to admire the audacity involved. He’s certainly got a lot of time as the Nets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.