Kyrie Irving is 'a sad excuse for a professional and a traitor,' says ESPN analyst

Kyrie Irving has raised plenty of controversy throughout his career in the NBA. Regardless of his undeniable talent, people question whether basketball is his priority or if he’s even worth the trouble.

The Brooklyn Nets decided that they wouldn’t allow him to be a part-time player and create a further distraction, so he won’t suit up for the team unless he abides by New York’s vaccine mandate.

The Nets have been clearly hurt by Irving’s absence and are still trying to figure out things on the go, which is why ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith had a blunt message for him and his best friend, Kevin Durant.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Calls Kyrie Irving A Traitor And A Sad Excuse For A Professional

“Kevin Durant, I’m sad for you bro,” Smith said on First Take. “You’re all alone. You have no help. And more importantly than anything else, you made the wrong decision by going to Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving betrayed you! Flat out betrayed you… and while you’re sitting up there getting your ass kicked last night – Steph Curry shimmying and joking around, laughing on the court…Kyrie Irving can’t be trusted. I actually hope Kyrie Irving gets cut.”

Smith went out to say that Irving is an entitled sad excuse for a professional who thinks he’s above the rest of people. He kept on calling him a traitor and called him out for the way he’s handled all this situation:

“Each and every single time he thinks about himself and he left his boy hanging. KD came to Brooklyn because of Kyrie Irving. Kyrie Irving has betrayed KD, he has betrayed basketball fans with these continual excuses for his absence, he has betrayed his teammates, he’s betrayed the NBA game. He is a superstar, a showstopper, must-see television, must-see in person, he’s that much of a genius of a basketball player. He don’t give a damn about that. We’re beneath him. He’s *here* the rest of us are *here.* We’re not on his level, we can’t think like him,” Smith concluded.

While Smith’s words must always be taken with a grain of salt, there’s some truth to them this time. Regardless of his beliefs, he did leave his best friend and teammate hanging, and it could wound up hurting KD’s legacy down the line.