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The Nets general manager stated that Irving will not participate in team activities until he is “qualified to be an official participant.”
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will not participate in team games or training before being vaccinated against COVID-19. The National Basketball Association (NBA) team announced that it has refused to allow him to play part-time to circumvent regulations in New York.
Nets general manager Sean Marks said on Tuesday that Irving will not be a member of the team until he is “qualified as an official participant.”
New York City, the home of the Nets, has implemented mandatory vaccinations for stadiums, casinos and museums.
“Kerry made a personal choice, and we respect his personal right to choose. At present, this choice limits his ability to become a full-time member of the team, and we will not allow any member of our team to participate part-time,” Max wrote on Tuesday. The statement said.
“We must continue to build chemistry as a team and stay true to the values ​​of unity and sacrifice we have established for a long time.”
Irving played an important role in the Nets’ season last year, averaging 26.9 points, 6.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, helping the team enter the Eastern Conference semifinals. His salary this season is 35.3 million U.S. dollars, and he may lose millions of dollars.
But Max said the Nets did not intend to unload Irving, but would welcome him back with “open arms…under different circumstances.”
For months, the United States, where coronavirus vaccines have been widely available, has been struggling to overcome vaccine hesitation and anti-vaccine sentiment. Despite the recent decline in the number of new cases, there are still more than 1,000 deaths from the coronavirus every day in the country.
The pandemic has been killed Over 700,000 the whole nation.
Irving did not publicly explain the reason for his refusal to vaccinate. “I am protected by God, and so are my people. We stand together,” he Wrote on Twitter On Saturday, there was no detailed explanation.
Brandon Robinson, an NBA analyst at Bally Sports Network, said he was not surprised by the Nets’ announcement on Tuesday.
Robinson told Al Jazeera: “The people I talked to just thought they wanted to reach an agreement, and Kyrie Irving was not vaccinated… and they really don’t want part-time players.”
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (left) defends Boston Celtics forward Jason Tatum in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs [Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports]“95% of people in the NBA are vaccinated,” he said. “The Nets are advancing this way. With a week away from the start of the season, their Big Three, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, are expected to participate in the grand ball and win the championship.
“So I’m not surprised. It’s their privilege, it’s business, and some people think he (Owen) needs to abide by this.”
Knowing what kind of person Irving is and has been covering his career since 2013, Robinson added that he does not think the Nets guards will be vaccinated.
The NBA season will begin on October 19, when the Nets will face the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
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