Challenges Faced by Kyrie Irving: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Kyrie Irving faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Kyrie Andrew Irving is a prominent American professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. Drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, he earned Rookie of the Year honors. Irving is a nine-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA Team selection, and won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016. He is known for his exceptional ball-handling skills and scoring ability.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

July 14, 2012: Broken Hand During Practice

On July 14, 2012, Kyrie Irving sustained a broken right hand while practicing with the Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League.

2012: Injured Index Finger

At the start of the 2012–2013 NBA season, Kyrie Irving injured his index finger in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks, causing him to miss three weeks of action.

2014: Cavaliers' Performance in December

After losing their winning streak on December 11, the Cavaliers won just five more games in December, finishing 2014 at 18–14.

August 27, 2015: Ruled Unlikely for Opening Night

On August 27, 2015, Kyrie Irving was ruled unlikely to be ready for opening night of the 2015–16 season due to the left kneecap fracture he suffered in Game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

October 12, 2021: Ineligible to play due to vaccine mandate

On October 12, 2021, Nets' general manager Sean Marks announced that Kyrie Irving would be ineligible to play or practice with the team due to the New York City COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

October 2021: Speculation on Exclusion from NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Amidst controversies surrounding his hesitancy to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and sharing conspiracy theories, it was speculated that in October 2021, Kyrie Irving was excluded from the NBA 75th Anniversary Team list.

October 21, 2021: Omission from NBA 75th Anniversary Team

On October 21, 2021, it was speculated that Kyrie Irving was originally on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, but was later excluded, allegedly due to the ongoing vaccine mandate controversy.

2021: Missed NBA Season due to Vaccination Decision

Kyrie Irving's decision not to get vaccinated for COVID-19 led to him missing the majority of the 2021–2022 NBA season.

February 2022: NYC mayor announced vaccine requirement lift

In February 2022, New York City mayor Eric Adams announced that the city would be lifting its vaccine requirement for indoor activities on March 7, but Kyrie Irving remained subject to a workplace vaccine mandate.

September 15, 2022: Sharing Alex Jones Video on Instagram

On September 15, 2022, Kyrie Irving shared a video on his Instagram story featuring a rant by InfoWars creator and far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

October 27, 2022: Tweet Linking to Anti-Semitic Film

On October 27, 2022, Kyrie Irving tweeted a link to an Amazon listing page for Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, a 2018 film based on a book of the same name, which promotes Black Hebrew Israelite ideology and contains antisemitic content.

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October 29, 2022: Irving Defends Tweet and Denies Religious Biases

On October 29, 2022, Kyrie Irving tweeted that calling him antisemitic was "not justified" and expressed his intent to learn from all walks of life and religions. He defended his tweet during a postgame press availability, denying religious biases and stating that history should not be hidden. He asserted he would not back down on his beliefs and felt supported by others.

November 3, 2022: Suspension from the Nets

On November 3, 2022, The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five NBA games due to his failure to unequivocally denounce antisemitic beliefs and deemed him unfit to be associated with the team.