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Kyrie Irving returned to the Brooklyn Nets after a two-week absence from the team and spoke to the media for the first time since taking time off.
Irving has missed seven games in total, including five for personal reasons and two for conditioning. He lost nearly $ 817,000 in quarantine salary for two games, like ESPN’s Bobby Marks Noted. The NBA also fined Irving $ 50,000 for violating league health and safety protocols after videos of him attending a family birthday party surfaced.
What prompted the Brooklyn star to quit the team?
“There was a lot of family and personal stuff going on,” Irving said without disclosing further details. “So, I just want to leave it there.”
While his response left more to be desired by reporters and the public, Irving addressed his absence privately with the Nets organization and his teammates, according to the coach. Steve nash.
“I think Ky is working really hard mentally to put himself in a great position to perform,” said Nash. “I am proud of him for the efforts he is making there.
After Tuesday’s practice, Irving and Nash both called the comeback “exciting.” The six-time All-Star was not on the injury report for Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and will be making his return at that time.
Ahead of his early return, Irving acknowledged some personal difficulties during his time away from the team and sought advice.
“I’m just being honest here,” Irving said. “It’s been a lot to balance, and now I called for help, and now I have so many mentors and so many people reaching out and taking things off my plate that were never mine at the time. departure.
Following his availability in the media, Irving published a expressed disappointment Surrounding Irving’s absence, he said the organization would support his star player, and they did, according to Irving.
“It’s been great,” said Irving. “It’s been supportive enough to make me feel like they’ve got my back, and that’s all I can ask for, not only to support me, but also for my family. I’m a kid from my hometown, so things are a bit different when it comes to family and personal matters, and it’s up to me to handle that as a man. I’m just responsible for my actions with the guys and just had a conversation with each of them, and we move on.
As Irving returns to Brooklyn’s fold, he will do so with a new teammate, James harden. So far, Harden and his former teammate Kevin Durant meshed well. The jury is still out on whether Irving and Harden can coexist together in the backcourt, as both players are used to being the main playmakers.
“It’s really exciting to be able to play with some great players who have just been here in the league for a while and have been through ups and downs, peaks and valleys,” Irving said. “James is aligned with us in terms of experience. Adding that to our locker rooms will be great for us. “
Irving’s return is an opportunity to show that he can adapt his scoring game off the ball and to dispel any questions about his commitment to his teammates and to basketball from outside the organization.
“What’s quite interesting to watch when you take a break is that there are so many assumptions about what’s going on, and so many people feel like they know me the best,” Irving said. . “They have no idea who I am, what I am, what I represent, or even trying to take the time, or even ask me to invite them to take the time, so it’s a two-way street. When things get overwhelming in life, you just need to take a step back and realize what’s important. I like to play. It was never a question. I signed up when it wasn’t even a thing for me. I didn’t really care about the media. I didn’t really care about the fandom. All I was interested in was just the ethics of the game and learning the fundamentals.
Irving, who grew up for the Nets in New Jersey, apologized to fans for his absence and highlighted to fans his commitment to winning a title and improving the community.
“I started out as a fanatic,” Irving explained. “I started out as a fan. I have been involved in this organization since I was a child. Now that I’m in this role as a player, there is a big difference. The fans there, I also want to apologize to them. My commitment has always been to bring something special to Brooklyn. It wasn’t just a championship. It was unity. It was equality. It’s just things bigger than the game itself. It took a while and quite a few valleys to get home, at first. So for me, I just take it everyday, just to be grateful. But for the casual or the fanatic, it’s part of our culture. I returned. Glad to be back. We have some great pieces, and we just move on, and I let my actions and my playing speak for itself as I intended. I just needed a break.
Some have speculated that part of the “break” Irving needed was related to concerns about social justice and politics.
“With everything that is going on in the world politically, socially, it’s hard to ignore,” admitted Irving. “I want to make changes daily. There are so many oppressed communities and so many things that are bigger than a bullet in the brim. “
Over the course of his career, Irving has returned to the community in a variety of ways, including buying a house for George Floyd’s family, committing $ 1.5 million in WNBA salaries to supplement the income of players who have retired from the bubble for coronavirus or social justice reasons, and a donation to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and over $ 300,000 and 250,000 meals to Feeding America.
“For me, it’s just the balance, knowing that I can delegate my responsibilities off the pitch to people around whom I am surrounded who are for the fight and fighting behind the scenes and in front of the lines,” said Irving. “I’m not the only one fighting. I am grateful to unite with others. That’s all I’m trying to do. On the court, in the same way. Play with a smile, leave something close to my heart with this game. Whatever legacy I have after that as a person, that’s all I really care about.
You can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter: @MikeAScotto
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