Scandals against a backdrop of anti-Semitism seem to punctuate the news of American cultural life. After the music with rapper Kanye West, dropped by Adidas for hateful remarks against the Jewish community, the world of the NBA is affected with the Kyrie Irving affair. After refusing to be vaccinated, preventing him from playing last season at home, or claiming that the Earth was flat, the leader of the Brooklyn Nets this time created controversy by promoting a film with anti-Semitic content on his social networks. Back in four acts on the affair which put the NBA in the embarrassment.
1Kyrie Irving posts the poster of an anti-Semitic film on his social networks
“Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America”. This is the title of Ronald Dalton Jr’s film, released in 2018, of which Kyrie Irving shared the poster (and a link to the Amazon site to get it) on Instagram and Twitter, Thursday October 27, despite his explicitly anti-Semitic character. This documentary is the adaptation of an eponymous book released in 2015, explaining in particular that “many famous high-ranking Jews have admitted worshiping Satan or Lucifer”.
On the night of Friday October 28 to Saturday October 29, the Brooklyn Nets released a statement condemning “firmly” the actions of their player and explaining not having “no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech”. In the process, the owner of the New York franchise, Joe Tsai, reacted on Twitter, saying to himself “disappointed” by Kyrie Irving. “I want to sit down with him and make sure he understands that it’s hurtful to all of us, and that as a man of faith, it’s wrong to promote hate based on race, l “ethnicity or religion. It’s more important than basketball”, he wrote.
I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.
—Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) October 29, 2022
2First explanations and silence from the NBA
Faced with the media outcry, the 30-year-old leader defended himself for the first time on Twitter, after deleting his previous publications. “I am an OMNIST and I did not mean to disrespect anyone’s religious beliefs”, he said on the evening of Saturday, October 29. “The label of “anti-Semite” that has been stuck on me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or the truth in which I live every day. I respect and want to learn from all backgrounds and religions”.
Not enough to put out the fire because after a setback against the Indiana Pacers (125-116), Sunday October 30, Kyrie Irving asked that we stop “dehumanize” at a press conference. After this new episode, the Brooklyn Nets dismissed their coach Steve Nash because of insufficient results and the silence of the NBA on the Irving affair is becoming more and more heavy. However, former stars have stepped up to the plate, like Shaquille O’Neal calling Kyrie Irving a“idiot” or Charles Barkley demanding a suspension from the League.
3Kyrie Irving pledges, NBA boss finally reacts
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, Kyrie Irving and the Nets pledged to donate $500,000 each to associations working for the eradication of hatred and intolerance. If in the statement co-written with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Kyrie Irving acknowledges “the negative impact of [son] message on the Jewish community”no excuse is really formulated. “I do not believe that anything said in the film was true or reflects my morals and principles. I did not mean to harm any group, race or religion, I only wish to be a beacon of truth and light. This label of anti-Semite that is stuck on me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or the truth in which I live every day”, he justifies.
A week after the start of the affair, the boss of the NBA, Adam Silver, finally reacted. “Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision by posting a link to a movie containing deeply offensive anti-Semitic ideas”, he explains in a press release published Thursday, November 3. “While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Nets and the Anti-Defamation League, to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he did not issue an apology. without reservation and denounced more specifically the vile and harmful content conveyed by the film which he has chosen to make public”.
4The Nets sanction Kyrie Irving who ends up apologizing
“Dismayed” that “Kyrie has refused to state unequivocally that he has no anti-Semitic beliefs, nor to acknowledge the film’s specific hateful content.” during a press briefing, the Nets announced on Friday, November 4, his suspension for at least five games, without pay. “Such a failure to disavow anti-Semitism is deeply troubling, goes against the values of our organization and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team”lamented the franchise.
What make Kyrie Irving react four hours later. “To all the families in the Jewish community that I have hurt, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize for it,” posted the native of Melbourne (Australia) on Instagram. “I want to clear up any confusion about my position in the fight against anti-Semitism by apologizing for posting the documentary without context and without a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the documentary with which I do or do not agree. I had no intention of disrespecting Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuating hatred.”.
While the Brooklyn Nets have yet to acknowledge Kyrie Irving’s apology, his suspension will keep him off the court at least until November 13. “I will be meeting with Kyrie in person sometime next week to discuss this situation,” Adam Silver had promised on Thursday, without it being known yet whether a sanction from the NBA is on the agenda. On his side, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), announced Thursday to refuse the donation of Kyrie Irvingconsidering that“After watching the debacle at the press conference, it’s clear that Kyrie doesn’t feel responsible for her actions.”