Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who is one of the NBA’s most prominent players not vaccinated against Covid-19, has said that he didn’t want to lose salary or a chance to compete for a championship but is doing “what’s best for himself” by refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
The Nets decided on Tuesday that Irving wouldn’t be with the team because he isn’t eligible to play in home games, where a New York mandate requires professional athletes on one of the city’s teams to be vaccinated to practice or play in public venues.
Speaking on Instagram Live, Irving said he loved basketball and wasn’t going to retire.
Irving said “I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences here and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is. That’s the role I play, but I never wanted to give up my passion, my love, my dream just over this mandate. So what? It’s not about the money, It’s not always about the money. It’s about choosing what’s best for you. Do you think I really want to lose money? Once again, I’m going to repeat this. This is not about the Nets, this is not about the organization, it’s not about the NBA, it’s not politics, It’s not any one thing. It’s just about the freedom of what I want to do. No, I’m not retiring and no I’m not going and leaving this game like this. There’s still so much more work to do and there still so many other (youngsters) to inspire, because I know they want to be better than me.”