Kyrie Irving’s decision not to take the COVID-19 vaccine was one of the biggest stories of the NBA season. That kept him off the court for most of the campaign, even though the Brooklyn Nets desperately needed him.
Truth be told, Kyrie’s vaccination status wouldn’t have been an issue if he didn’t play for a New York City-based team. Also, things may have gotten blown out of proportion,mostly because of his often condescending attitude towards the media.
At the end of the day, Kyrie spent the whole season without getting the shot. And even though it had a huge impact on the Nets’ chemistry throughout the season, Kevin Durant still holds no grudges towards him for that.
Kevin Durant Says Kyrie’s Choice Wasn’t His Decision
“Me and Kyrie had conversations about the vaccine and what it meant to him, meant to me,” Durant told the media. “At the end of the day I didn’t think it was my decision on what he wanted to do with the vaccine. I gave him how I felt about it and we talked about it, but that’s ultimately his decision.”
Durant Wanted Kyrie To Play
That wasn’t the first time that Durant addressed Kyrie’s decision. He’s never hidden the fact that he encouraged him to play and wanted him to be on the court, yet he was fully supportive of his determination not to do so:
“I’ve told him how much I want him to play,” Durant said in January “But like I said, I’m not about to force somebody to get a vaccine. That’s not my thing. So he can play basketball? Nah, I’m not about to do that. We’ve had conversations about wanting him to be a part of the team and conversations about him being here full-time but that’s on his time. Whatever decision he wants to make, he’s gonna make. It’s on us to come in here and be professionals no matter what and do our jobs, from the owner to the equipment manager.”
Now, there’s a chance that Kyrie will be cleared to play in home games right in time for the playoffs. And even though the Nets are far below in the standings, a one-two punch of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant might be just enough to win an NBA championship.
