Major Controversies Surrounding Kyrie Irving: A Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Kyrie Irving.

Kyrie Irving is a professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks. Drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011, he earned Rookie of the Year honors. Irving is a nine-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA Team member, and won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016. He's 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

March 2016: Controversy Surrounding Relationship with Kehlani

From January 2016 to March 2016, Kyrie Irving was in a relationship with singer Kehlani. Their relationship caused a Twitter media controversy after singer PartyNextDoor posted an Instagram photo of Kehlani's hand while in bed together, and people assumed she had cheated on Irving. Irving stated they had broken up before the incident.

February 2017: Flat Earth Belief Statement

In February 2017, Kyrie Irving stated in an interview for a podcast that he believes that the Earth is flat.

September 2017: Denial of Flat Earth Claims

In September 2017, Kyrie Irving denied his previous claims about believing the Earth is flat, stating that the media misunderstood him as he was joking.

June 2018: Continued Uncertainty About Earth's Shape

In a June 2018 interview, Kyrie Irving was asked if he would admit that the world is round, he said, "I don't know. I really don't", and added that people should "do [their] own research for what [they] want to believe in" because "Our educational system is flawed".

October 2018: Apology for Flat Earth Comments

In October 2018, Kyrie Irving apologized for his original flat Earth comments but stopped short of saying whether he still believed that the Earth is flat.

2018: Promotion of Conspiracy Theories

Throughout his career, Kyrie Irving has promoted numerous conspiracy theories. In 2018 he tweeted a link to the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, which has been characterized as antisemitic.

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October 12, 2021: Irving deemed ineligible to play due to vaccine mandate

On October 12, 2021, the Brooklyn Nets announced that Kyrie Irving would be ineligible to play or practice with the team due to the New York City COVID-19 vaccine mandate until he was vaccinated.

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

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and his hesitancy to receive a vaccine against the virus, Irving shared and interacted with social media posts from a conspiracy theorist on Instagram. Amidst these controversies, it was speculated that Kyrie Irving was excluded from the NBA 75th Anniversary Team list in October 2021.

October 21, 2021: Speculation and Controversy Surrounding NBA 75th Anniversary Team Exclusion

On October 21, 2021, Kyrie Irving was speculated to be originally on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team as the Brooklyn Nets prematurely posted an announcement, but was later excluded, allegedly due to the ongoing vaccine mandate controversy. The exclusion led to criticism and debate among sports commentators and fans.

2021: Misses 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 addresses vaccine mandate and Irving

In February 2022, New York City mayor Eric Adams announced the city would be lifting its vaccine requirement for indoor activities on March 7. However, Kyrie Irving remained subject to a separate workplace vaccine mandate. The mayor stated that making an exception for Irving would "send the wrong message."

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: Tweeting Link to Antisemitic 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. The film includes denials that the Holocaust occurred, quotes attributed to Adolf Hitler and Henry Ford, claims that Jewish people worship Satan, and accusations that Jews controlled the Atlantic slave trade and currently control the media.

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October 29, 2022: Response to Antisemitism Accusations

On October 29, 2022, Kyrie Irving tweeted that deeming him antisemitic was "not justified", and that he intended to "learn from all walks of life and religions." During a postgame press availability at Barclays Center, Irving denied having any religious biases and defended the tweet, telling reporters that "[h]istory is not supposed to be hidden from anybody" and stating, "I'm not going to stand down on anything I believe in. I'm only going to get stronger because I'm not alone. I have a whole army around me." Irving deleted the tweet on or around October 30.

November 3, 2022: Irving suspended by Nets

On November 3, 2022, the Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five NBA games. The suspension was due to his failure to "unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs" and the Nets stated that he was "currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets."