Kyrie Irving reportedly was a “driving force” in raising concerns about the NBA’s return-to-play format, and was expected to be an “active participant” in Friday’s call.
And according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, he was just that.
The Brooklyn Nets star, who won’t play this year despite the hiatus due to shoulder surgery, had some questions about whether he would be allowed to join his team in Orlando, Fla.
“As an injured player, sources say Irving asked, would he count among the Nets allotted 35 people should he want to join the Orlando bubble? Could he sit in the stands to cheer on his teammates? Use a sauna for his rehab?,” Wojnarowski wrote. … “So yes, it surprised several of his NBPA colleagues that Irving — lost to the season with shoulder surgery in March — was simultaneously lending his voice to a different discussion with rank-and-file union members on upending the league’s plans for a 22-team restart at Disney World in Orlando, sources said.”
But it wasn’t all about basketball.
Irving, according to Wojnarowski’s sources, the guard also wants to give his colleagues a platform.
“He’s trying to give players a platform to be able to have a discussion — on the bubble, racial equality and unity…It’s a good call,” one player said via text message.
Amid his reservations on restarting season, Kyrie Irving has lent a strong voice to ongoing call w/ NBA players tonight. One player in text: "He's trying to give players a platform to be able to have a discussion — on the bubble, racial equality and unity…It's a good call."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 13, 2020
With everything going on in the world of late, it’s certainly important to be able to have a voice and give others a platform to speak of racial inequality.
