Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving says he is not an anti-vaxxer, he is just apprehensive about the long-term effects due to a history of basketball injuries.
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More than a month into the 2021-22 NBA season and the Brooklyn Nets are nowhere near getting Kyrie Irving back on the court. The vaccination mandate in NY city made the 7x all-star ineligible to participate in home games. Irving decided to play part-time but the Nets wanted him all in or not at all.
Brooklyn has been faring well without him so far, sitting at the top spot in the eastern conference with a 16-7 record. While the duo of Kevin Durant and James Harden is more than enough when playing mediocre teams, it is against the top seeds they feel the absence of Kyrie Irving. The beard is unable to fill the scoring void left behind by Kyrie and it’s cost them 7 games.
It’s something teams would be ready to capitalize on once playoffs come around. Irving’s reluctance to get vaccinated makes him a poor trade asset as most states have vaccine mandates. The Nets are not in a position to convince him but can’t play without him as the season progresses.
A plant-based alternative might bring Kyrie Irving back on the court according to sources close to him.
Kyrie Irving is trying really hard to avoid the ‘anti-vaxxer’ tag
The NBA star has been spending his time with family away from the media. He’s done a handful of interviews and interactions after his decision to remain unvaccinated. On an Instagram Live, he kept placing emphasis on people losing jobs due to the vaccination mandates and said he was standing up for them.
On the other hand, during the zoom media day for the Nets, Kyrie revealed that the unknown long-term effects of the vaccination bothered him. The 2016 NBA champion kept insisting on the fact that he is not against vaccinations. However, his apprehension about the Covid vaccine is keeping him from getting the shot.
His basketball career has been riddled with injuries and how the vaccination affects them also contributed to the decision. Despite FDA approval, Kyrie is unsure about the available options. He is waiting for plant-based alternatives which are still in clinical trials.
In any case, these details reveal that the Nets superstar is nowhere close to a return. Kevin Durant, James Harden, and the Nets have clearly given up on trying to convince him. In addition, they believe it’s an individual choice and Irving is well within his rights to exercise it.
