NEW YORK (AP) – The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay Thursday, frustrated by his repeated failure to “state unequivocally that he has no anti-Semitic beliefs.”
Hours after Irving refused an apology demanded by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for posting a link to an anti-Semitic project on his Twitter feed, the Nets said Irving is “not currently fit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets”.
“We were disappointed today, when given the opportunity at a media briefing, that Kyrie refused to categorically say that he has no anti-Semitic beliefs, nor to acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had an opportunity — but failed — to come clean,” the Nets said in a statement.
“This failure to repudiate anti-Semitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply troubling, goes against the values of our organization and constitutes behavior detrimental to the team. Therefore, we believe that he is not currently fit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”
Irving’s reluctance to apologize came hours before the FBI said it had received credible information about a “broad” threat to synagogues in Irving’s home state of New Jersey.
The Nets said they made several efforts in recent days to help Irving understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, but it was clear during the point guard’s post-practice interview earlier Thursday that little had changed.
Irving would only say he meant no harm. He said some things in “Jews to Negroes: Awaken Black America” were untrue, but he didn’t say he shouldn’t post a link to it.
“I’m not the one who made the documentary,” Irving said.
He was later asked if he held anti-Semitic beliefs, and he said no.
“I can’t be anti-Semitic if I know where I come from,” Irving said.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt reacted to a video of Irving’s response to that question on Twitter, writing: “The answer to the question ‘Do you hold anti-Semitic beliefs’ is always ‘NO’ without a doubt.
“We took Kyrie Irving at his word when he said he took responsibility, but today he didn’t follow through on that promise,” Greenblatt added. “Kyrie clearly has a lot of work to do.”
A day earlier, Irving and the Nets had announced, in conjunction with the ADL, that they would each donate $500,000 to anti-hate causes. Greenblatt tweeted Thursday night that his organization could not in good conscience accept Irving’s donation.
Silver felt Irving needed to go further, anyway.
“While we appreciate that he has agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not apologized unreservedly and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in film he chose to release,” the commissioner said.
Silver added that he will meet with Irving in person within the next week.
It’s the second straight season the Nets have cut Irving off the team. It was last year when he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, leaving him unable to play home games. They didn’t want him to be a part-time player, though they eventually brought him back to play road games in December.
Irving posted the since-deleted link late last week and then defiantly defended his right to do so after the Nets’ home loss to Indiana on Saturday. The team kept him from speaking to reporters after their two games this week, hoping to avoid further upsetting fans, but the time away hasn’t changed Irving’s attitude.
He quickly became defensive Thursday, asking reporters why they didn’t ask questions about black American history, saying 300 million of his ancestors are buried in the country.
“Where did you ask the same questions when I was a kid learning about the traumatic events of my family history and what I’m proud to be from and proud to be here,” Irving said, “and why when I repeat that I’m not going to back down, it hasn’t to do with the rejection of any other people of the tribe or group.
“I’m just proud of my heritage and what we’ve been through and the fact that this has pitted me against the Jewish community and I’m here to answer questions about whether or not I’m sorry for something I did.” I didn’t create and it was something that I shared, and I tell everyone that I take responsibility, but there I sit.”
Irving was also asked specifically about his beliefs about the Holocaust.
“These lies are unfortunate,” Irving said, referring to the film’s content. “And it’s not that I don’t believe in the Holocaust. I never said that. I never, ever said that. It hasn’t come out of my mouth. I never tweeted it. I never liked that kind of thing. So the Holocaust itself is an event that means something to a large group of people who suffered something that could have been avoided.”
The Nets said Irving’s suspension will last “until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful effects of his conduct.”
The team declined to give him a contract extension this summer after he was unavailable for so much of last season. Irving opted into the final season of his contract, making it likely he is in his final season with the team.
The Nets are off to a 2-6 start, costing coach Steve Nash his job on Tuesday.
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AP basketball writer Tim Reynolds and freelance writer Dick Scanlon in Orlando, Fla., contributed to this report.
