Stephen A. Smith has always marveled at Kyrie Irving’s basketball skills, heaping praise-worthy terms on the point guard such as “box office” and “superstar.” But when it comes to the way in which the Brooklyn Nets veteran conducts himself off the court, the iconic sports personality seems to have amassed a long laundry list of vexes that he has no problem airing out on his morning talk show.
Stephen A Smith on having Covid-19:
Two years ago, Stephen A. Smith voiced his displeasure with the seven-time All-Star for reacting to Boston Celtics fans with a cryptic Twitter post. A year later he called for the NBA champion to step away from the game, stating “I think Kyrie Irving should retire. Kyrie Irving hasn’t prioritized basketball.”
Three days after the Brooklyn announcement that they will bring back their star point guard, despite his unvaccinated status, the co-host of First Take addressed Kyrie Irving on the air again. But this time, he also called out the 29-year-old’s employer for reinstating him two months after denying him eligibility for refusing to comply with the NBA’s vaccination requirements.
“To watch the Brooklyn Nets reverse course and take this position is one of the most shameful things I think they could have ever done,” Stephen A. said. “And I’ll go a step further. One of the last people in the world who’s worth it is Kyrie Irving.”
Prior to addressing the Brooklyn Nets’ decision to reinstate the superstar guard, Stephen A. revealed that his absence on Monday was due to him testing positive for the COVID-19 virus over the weekend. Kyrie Irving has not played a basketball game all season long because of his stance on remaining unvaccinated. His decision has been met with support from celebrities like Floyd Mayweather and scrutiny from high-profile sports journalists such as Stephen A. Smith.
Just one day after being reinstated by the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving entered the league’s coronavirus-related safety and health protocols. Stay tuned for more information surrounding his journey back to the court.
