KEY POINTS

  • Kyrie Irving reiterates his stance but clears he is not retiring from basketball
  • Irving and Kaepernick ironically started their advocacies at the same age
  • A U.S. senator backs Irving and calls on the Rockets to inquire for the All-Star guard

Kyrie Irving continues to make headlines, with the 29-year-old standing his ground on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Although he is not entirely against it, “Uncle Drew” could find himself potentially losing millions and place his NBA career in limbo.

He made it clear that he is aware of the repercussions of his stance against the COVID-19 jab.

In an Instagram Live post, Irving explained that he is just doing what he believes is right.

But one thing is clear, he has not lost his passion for basketball for the sake of the COVID-19 issue.

The Nets have made a stand on the Irving issue with the general manager stating that they will not permit any member of the team to participate part-time, and Irving is no exception.

This means he could lose as much as $35 million in salary if he misses Brooklyn’s home games. But the All-Star guard stressed that it is not all about the money.

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

The stand of Irving is branded as seeing him being the “voice of the voiceless.” It somehow calls to mind the case of Colin Kaepernick in the NFL.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is best known for his celebrated kneeling protest in 2016. It was the Wisconsin's native way of making a stand against police brutality and racial inequality.

Ironically, Kaepernick and Irving hold some similarities. Both did it at practically the same age of 29.

Another similarity that may happen soon is seeing Irving lose millions for his holdout. Kaepernick experienced that and never really made it back to the NFL although the ex-49ers playmaker remains hopeful that he can resume his pro football career.

The case of Irving is different if one is to factor in his popularity. Should he end up getting traded by the Nets, other teams may take a chance on seven-time All-Star.

In fact, there is one United States senator campaigning for him to possibly head to Houston.

Senator Ted Cruz has backed Irving for his stance and accused corporate media of trying to silence and coerce the Nets' guard.

The senator also suggested a potential move to the Rockets since employee vaccine mandates are banned in Texas.

For now, all eyes are on Irving to see how long he will hold out on getting vaccinated.

His gesture is noble, but the price that needs to be paid for it is undoubtedly hefty--not to mention that his NBA career is on the line.

Kyrie Irving Brooklyn Nets
Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Oct. 3, 2021, in Los Angeles. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images