Stephen A. Smith Blasts Kyrie Irving For Implying People Don’t Care About Global Issues: Just ‘DO YOUR JOB’
With less than a week to go before the NBA Playoffs, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving let everyone know “basketball is not the most important thing right now.”
Despite critics often portraying Irving as flighty and unreliable, credit his compassion, and credit him for being open and honest with the media. But ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes Irving’s bigger-than-basketball mentality, implies that other people don’t care enough about global issues.
“A lot of stuff is going on in this world and basketball is just not the most important thing to me right now, there’s a lot of stuff going on overseas…there’s a lot of dehumanization going on,” Irving said in a response to a reporter’s question about the Nets ending the regular season at full strength.
Kyrie Irving comments on recent events around the world:
“It’s sad to see this s— going on… it’s all over the world, and I feel it… my goal and my purpose is to help humanity, and I can’t sit here and not address that.” pic.twitter.com/dDrpmZPP7F
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) May 15, 2021
“He doesn’t realize that when he says stuff the way that he’s saying, you’re implying that other people don’t care, but you do? I know that Kyrie cares,” Smith said on First Take.
The ESPN host also highlighted Irving’s ability to make a substantial living after playing just 17 games of college basketball. “How much would you be focused on these issues if you had to worry about paying your bills, feeding your family, surviving?” Smith asked of the seven-time NBA All-Star.
“We don’t want to see people dying. We don’t want to see people struggling. We don’t want to see people starving. Of course, particularly if you’re Black. You have been RAVAGED by racism and prejudice and bigotry and being marginalized and minimized. WE ALL GO THROUGH THAT!” Smith said. “So when you sit up there and look at people and you say stuff like that, you’re talking to other people and you’re saying, ‘Well this might not be on your mind, but it’s on my mind.’”
Smith doesn’t doubt Irving is genuinely compassionate toward global issues and believes more attention needs to be placed on the Israel-Palestine conflict. But that shouldn’t take away from Irving’s ability to do his job as an NBA player, which pays him more than $33 million annually and generates thousands of careers, including those of the reporters asking basketball questions.
“People may have jobs to do. Like you have a job to do, so while you’re there. Just do it! Do your job!” Smith said. “Your job might actually be, not just playing basketball, but answering questions about it for 10 minutes.”
Watch above via ESPN
