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- Stephen A. Smith thinks the Nets winning a title with Kyrie Irving would be a disaster for the game of basketball.
- Smith went on a lengthy rant about what sort of message that would send to the NBA and NBA fans.
- Be sure to check out more sports stories at BroBible here.
The Brooklyn Nets winning their first title in franchise history this season would actually be a bad thing due to the fact that Kyrie Irving is on the roster. That’s the way Stephen A. Smith sees it, at least.
The Nets have undoubtedly had one of the most drama-filled seasons in NBA history to this point.
Irving has made headlines with his decision to not get the jab which has resulted in him not being allowed to play home games given New York’s local protocols and mandates. He made his return to the lineup in January, but the fact he can only play road games is certainly a unique wrinkle.
On top of that, Kevin Durant is set to miss at least a month after picking up an injury over this past weekend. James Harden got off to a lackluster start this season but is slowly finding his footing amid all the drama within the organization.
At the end of the day though, the Nets are only a half-game out of first place in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn is still a legitimate threat to win the East and could very well win the NBA title, but that would be a problem for Stephen A.
Stephen A. Smith Thinks The Nets Winning A Title Would Hurt Basketball
Most of Stephen A.’s best rants are a bit all over the place, and this one is no different. He says he’s a Knicks fan first and foremost but is all about New York meaning he wouldn’t mind seeing the Nets win a title at some point, but not this season given all the drama around Irving.
Smith then goes on to say that he respects Irving’s “honesty and him staying true to his convictions” when it comes to his decision not to get the shot. This statement from Smith comes after he told viewers that he would’ve died in the hospital during his bout with the virus had he not been vaccinated.
Ultimately, the biggest issues Smith has with Irving have to do with things he’s done in the past.
“I think it would be a disaster if the Brookly Nets won the championship for the game of basketball,” Smith explained.
“The reason I feel that way is because of the liberties Kyrie Irving has taken in the past before the vaccination was an issue. Remember, this is the dude that needed time off when the riots at the U.S. Capitol took place because mentally he just wasn’t there and he could just walk away from the game of basketball. Now it’s the vaccine as an excuse not to be at the Barclays Center for people in Brookly to see this showstopper play.”
Smith taking a shot at Irving stepping away from the game last year for what he described as “a lot of family and personal stuff going on” is surprising given how mental health has come to the forefront of discussions, specifically at ESPN.
Then again, it’s not all that surprising given the fact that Smith called for Irving to retire during his absence last year because he felt it was clear he didn’t want to play basketball anymore.