[News] NBA star, Kyrie Irving says refusal to get vaccinated is about ‘what’s best for me’ as he’s banned from playing

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who is one of the NBA’s most prominent players not vaccinated against Covid-19, has said that he didn’t want to lose salary or a chance to compete for a championship  but is doing “what’s best for himself” by refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Nets decided on Tuesday that Irving wouldn’t be with the team because he isn’t eligible to play in home games, where a New York mandate requires professional athletes on one of the city’s teams to be vaccinated to practice or play in public venues.

Speaking on Instagram Live, Irving said he loved basketball and wasn’t going to retire.

“I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences here and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is,” Irving said. “That’s the role I play, but I never wanted to give up my passion, my love, my dream just over this mandate.”

Irving would have been able to practice with the Nets and play in road games outside New York. The Nets will pay him for those but he is giving up about half of his $35m (£25.6) salary by missing the home games.

“So what? It’s not about the money,” Irving said. “It’s not always about the money. It’s about choosing what’s best for you. You think I really want to lose money?”

The All-Star guard didn’t give any indication that he was against being vaccinated, just that he was deciding not to.

“Once again, I’m going to repeat this. This is not about the Nets, this is not about the organization, it’s not about the NBA, it’s not politics,” Irving said. “It’s not any one thing.

“It’s just about the freedom of what I want to do.”

“No, I’m not retiring and no I’m not going and leaving this game like this,” Irving said. “There’s still so much more work to do and there still so many other (youngsters) to inspire, because I know they want to be better than me.”