Last week, a conference call with roughly 80 players was held where former Cleveland Cavaliers star Kyrie Irving advocated for players to sit out a resumption of the NBA season.
Irving feels like he’s been unfairly criticized for his actions.
According to @ScoopB, Kyrie Irving feels “attacked” and “scapegoated.”
Kyrie states his conference call was only meant to be an outlet for players to express concerns about going to Orlando.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 17, 2020
Among those who have criticized Irving have been former NBA players Stephen Jackson and Kendrick Perkins, as well as ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith.
Irving’s sentiment has been that restarting the 2019-20 season would be a distraction from the fight for social justice in the wake of several unjust killings of African-Americans by police officers.
There are some, like the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dwight Howard and Avery Bradley, who seem to agree with Irving.
But the players who are leaning towards sitting out seem to be the exception, rather than the rule.
On Tuesday, Irving seemed to up the ante, suggesting during a chat with his Brooklyn Nets teammates that players should form their own league instead of finish out the NBA season.
According to current league plans, regular season games will resume on July 30.
