Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James asked for his thoughts on the Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving linked to an anti-Semitic movie for at least five games.
“I can tell you this. It’s simple. I, personally, do not accept any hatred of any kind, any race, Jewish communities, black communities, Asian communities. You guys know where I stand,” James said when asked why more NBA players don’t criticize Irving’s social media comments.
At several NBA betting sites, the Lakers have the 16th-best odds to win the championship in 2023. In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves now have the upper hand.
Full transcript of LeBron James’ responses to Kyrie Irving’s social media posts and subsequent statements tonight as “hurtful”: pic.twitter.com/O1mC4o5d6E
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 5, 2022
LeBron James continued, “I believe what Kyrie did caused some damage to a lot of people. “After that, more than the last one — whether it was today or yesterday — he apologized. But he did cause some damage, and I think it’s unfortunate.
“I’m not in a position to hurt people when it comes to your voice or your stage or anything else,” the four-time MVP continued.
LeBron James released a statement after the Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for promoting anti-Semitism.
On Friday, Irving apologized on Instagram. However, fans are not sure if his statements are sincere. The Nets guard also offered to donate $500,000 to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). But the organization did not accept the donation.
“We cannot in good conscience accept his donation,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “We were optimistic, but after seeing the controversy of the press conference, it is clear that Kerry bears no responsibility for his actions.”
To add insult to injury, Nike is also ending its endorsement deal with Irving. This means the guard’s signature shoes will be removed from the shelves.
LeBron James says he doesn’t approve of Irving’s post on Kyrie Irving and what he said was hurtful to a lot of people. pic.twitter.com/hqrKZE08Lw
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 5, 2022
Although LeBron James wanted to call out his former teammate, he felt the need to speak on this. However, some still question why they waited so long to finally say something about Irving’s social media posts.
“So it doesn’t matter what color your skin is, what your height is, where you are – if you’re promoting a community that hurts people or begging or saying something hurtful, I don’t respect it. . It’s not justified,” the 18-time all-star said.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Robin Lopez is the first active player to condemn Irvin’s actions. Jewish community leaders are frustrated that other superstars around the league have remained silent throughout the ordeal.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes the suspension for Irving is not enough. According to sources, LeBron James is reaching out to his Lakers teammates to remind them of the importance of condemning hate speech.
