WATCH: Kyrie Irving Battles ESPN Reporter in Unbelievable Smackdown as He Goes to the Mat for Alex Jones Backed Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theory
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving doubled down on his decision to share an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory pushed by Alex Jones.
In a fiery, bizarre confrontation with ESPN reporter Nick Friedell, Irving defended posting a clip from the documentary “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” which was promoted by Jones. The film contains numerous anti-Semitic tropes, and theorizes that some in the government are seeking to enslave people by releasing viruses.
Irving did distance himself somewhat from Jones more broadly – specifically his comments about Sandy Hook victims faking the tragedy, comments for which he has been ordered to pay nearly $1 billion in a defamation case in Connecticut which he recently lost.
But then, the Nets guard did voice his support for the 2018 Jones documentary clip he shared.
“My post was a post from Alex Jones that he did in the early nineties or late nineties about secret societies in America of a cult,” Irving said. “And it’s true.”
Friedell then asked Irving, “And to follow up on the promotion of the movie and the book—”
But Irving cut him off.
“Can you please stop calling it promotion?” Irving said. “What am I promoting?”
“You put it out on your platform,” Friedell said. He added, “By putting it out there—”
“I put it out there, just like you put things out there, right?” Irving said. “You put things out there for a living, right?”
“But my stuff—” Friedell said.
“Great,” Irving interjected. “So let’s move on.
“—isn’t filled with anti-Semitic stuff,” Friedell countered.
“Don’t dehumanize me up here,” Irving said.
“I’m not!” Friedell replied.
“So say that, and shut it down, and move on to the next question,” Irving said.
From there, the confrontation got even more intense. Watch above, via the YES network.
CORRECTION 11:08 a.m. ET — A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Jones made the documentary “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.” He promoted it, but did not make it. This post has been updated.
