Stephen A. Smith Gets in Heated Shouting Match Over Kyrie Irving’s Vaccination Decision: ‘I’M TRYING TO ANSWER YOU!’
The debate over Kyrie Irving’s vaccination status and whether the Brooklyn Nets should allow him to play basketball grew Wednesday night, after the eccentric NBA star spoke for 20 minutes on Instagram Live.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, a well-documented critic of Irving’s stance against taking the Covid vaccine, was baffled by the point guard’s social media video, but he waited until Thursday morning’s First Take to respond.
Contrary to Smith, ESPN analyst Jay Williams, who had a breakthrough case of Covid earlier this year, has lauded the NBA’s 95 percent vaccination rate and defended Irving’s right to make the decision for himself.
“You’re trying to tell me this is about basketball?” Williams asked Smith on ESPN’s First Take. “This is about winning a championship, not about making the right decision for my family? And I know what the right decision is for me and my family Stephen A., I would talk to Kyrie about how I felt about all this.”
“You’re asking questions and then talking. Which one’s it gonna be? You’re asking questions and then answering,” an agitated Smith fired back. “I’M TRYING TO ANSWER YOU! YES! Yes. Damn it, yes!”
“If 6.2 billion people have taken it, I’m sorry – has the vaccine killed anybody? Has that been the reason people died?” Smith asked, before moderator Molly Qerim stopped the show from veering off the basketball court.
Irving is currently barred from playing in home games for the Brooklyn Nets because of New York City’s indoor vaccine mandate. Rather than allow him to be a part-time player for road games, the Nets announced Irving would be benched until he’s compliant with local vaccine mandates.
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins added, “what Kyrie Irving does with his body is his personal decision,” but after his Wednesday night Instagram Live session, “it is still unclear what stance Kyrie Irving is making.”
During his 20-minute video, Irving defended people who are vaccinated and those who are not. He criticized vaccine mandates, but said he “won’t necessarily remain unvaccinated.” While rumors about Irving and his reasons for skipping the jab have circled in recent weeks, the point guard’s personal explanation only created more questions.
Watch above via ESPN.
