“Will Kyrie Irving refuse to play if NYC’s mandate only exempts athletes/entertainers?” The Nets guard claimed to be the voice of the voiceless, fighting for people’s rights

With growing optimism about Kyrie Irving being allowed to play home games, NBA analyst Tommy Beer revisits one of the Nets guard’s old statements.

Kyrie Irving’s anti-vaccination controversy may finally see the light of the day, with a big announcement coming in from the city of New York. After months of defying the mandate and missing more than half of the games, Irving will be allowed to play at the Barclays Center.

Irving dominated the headlines this year with his stance to not get vaccinated, even at the cost of missing games. The former champion had divided people with his decision to stay unvaccinated. Though Irving received a lot of flak initially, the mandate’s inconsistencies made the tide swing his way.

From the beginning, the Nets guard addressed how the mandate was a violation of his rights. The ruling was contradictory in nature, with even NYC’s mayor Eric Adams getting involved in the matter. Irving would stand up for those losing their jobs due to the mandate, being the voice of the voiceless.

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With the seven-time All-Star cleared to play at home, analyst Tommy Beer recalled one of Irving’s previous statements, tweeting about it.

Tommy Beer puts Kyrie Irving on the hot seat.

With Irving finally getting the sanction to play home games, the Nets fans can rejoice with their team at a crucial juncture to get out of the play-in scenario. Though Irving had the media and fans hound him on a constant basis, he did not budge from his stance.

With Irving claiming to be the voice of the voiceless, it will be interesting to see his take after being exempted since the mandate only clears athletes and entertainers.

It seems Irving will never be off his critics’ radar, who are quick to dig out the skeletons. Known for his exceptional philanthropical work and never hesitant to speak on sensitive issues, the question arises will the Nets guard continue to protest against the mandate?

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The Nets currently find themselves in a tough spot trying to get past the play-in scenario, with Ben Simmons and Seth Curry being out with injuries.