The Nets hope Kyrie Irving can reflect on his actions and apologize for his promotion of an anti-Semitic film, but one NBA Hall of Famer does not believe that will happen.
Brooklyn suspended its All-Star guard Thursday for "no less than five games." Irving's suspension will last "until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct."
The All-NBA guard shared a link to his Twitter and Instagram pages promoting a 2018 film titled, "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America." The post caused controversy because the film contains a number of anti-Semitic views and talking points.
Irving and the Nets announced donations "toward causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and intolerance in our communities" days after the 30-year-old got into a heated exchange with a reporter over the promotion. After the team removed Irving from pregame and postgame news conferences, the star spoke to media Thursday and did not offer an apology or deny he held any anti-Semitic beliefs.
NBA Hall of Famers have spoken out against Irving's actions and the lack of response from NBA players. Fellow Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar praised Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Reggie Miller in his Substack for using their platforms in a positive way.
"I couldn't be prouder of Shaq, Charles, and Reggie for their bold and straightforward comments," Abdul-Jabbar wrote Thursday. "They are at the forefront of Black athletes that are condemning the recent anti-Semitic social media posts by Kyrie Irving and Ye (aka Kanye West). It's a genuine 'I am Spartacus' moment."
Abdul-Jabbar, himself, has been at the forefront of standing up for civil rights and has written several books and articles to further his activism. The six-time NBA champion wrote about Irving's situation and examined comments he had made prior to his suspension.
"Mostly he reveals his lack of awareness of how history works," Abdul-Jabbar said. "It's not an all-you-can-eat buffet from which you can pluck just the dishes you like without any understanding of the context."
When writing about a possible future resolution, the Hall of Famer added, "Honestly, there's little hope that he will change because he's insulated by fame and money and surrounded by yes-people. There is no motivation to learn how to distinguish propaganda from facts. All that's left is for the world to decide how it should respond to him."
