Source: Pacific Press / Getty
If you thought New York City Mayor-Elect Eric Adams would be Kyrie Irving’s savior, you were dead wrong.
ESPN reports Friday night, Mayor-Elect Eric Adams announced he would not change New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate that keeps Brooklyn Nets all-star PG Kyrie Irving on the bench.
Fresh off his election victory on Tuesday (Nov.2), Adams said it’s going to be up to the NBA and Irving to figure out about him returning to the basketball court. NYC’s mandate requires Irving to have at least one shot of either Pfizer’s, Monderna’s, and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines to participate in games and team activities in the Barclays Arena. Irving was able to practice with the team through a loophole because the Nets practice facility was considered a private building, unlike the Barclays Center.
“New York City is not going to change their rule,” Adams said to CNN. “And again, it is up to the NBA and Kyrie to come to a full understanding on how to keep him on the Nets and to continue to look at all of our athletes that are coming here. Again, I think the NBA and Kyrie [are] going to come to a conclusion on this.”
Adams didn’t share how the NBA and Irving should figure out how he can play if he decides to remain unvaccinated, and based on his actions, Irving does not indicate that he plans on getting shot. The Nets have already played their ninth game without Irving and clearly have decided to move on without him.
In a recent interview, Nets owner Joe Tsai revealed to ESPN that he has no idea when Irving will get vaccinated.
“I don’t know,” Tsai said when asked if Irving would play again for the team. “Either he has to be vaccinated in order to come back if the New York mandate is still in place. And don’t ask me when they may or may not change the New York mandate. Again, if you ask the people that are making decisions at the city level, they are going to say we are going to rely on science, rely on what the health department tells us.
“I hope that Kyrie can be part of the team, part of Brooklyn long term. … I think we have an immediate question of whether he can play this season, and I hope he gets vaccinated as soon as possible.”
“Fans” of Irving thought that day was coming after Adams said the city needs “to revisit how we are going to address the vaccine mandates” in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday (Nov.3). Speaking with CNN on Friday (Nov.5), Adams said its “it is up to Kyrie” when it comes to getting vaccinated.
“That is his determination,” Adams said. “I don’t want to dictate for him. It’s his body. He has to make that determination on what he wants to do.
“I’m a Nets fan … and I love Kyrie. I think he’s a piece that we need for a championship. … So I believe that it’s up to the NBA and Kyrie to come to an understanding on how they want to get through this, and I believe they can come to a resolution,” he continued.
Welp looks like Kyrie Irving won’t be suiting up any time soon.
Photo: Pacific Press / Getty
