Kyrie Irving addresses perception of his character: ‘Just be kind, be compassionate’

More than two years after being suspended by the Brooklyn Nets for antisemitic social media posts, Kyrie Irving has rebuilt his reputation — sort of.

Throughout the last two NBA seasons, most of the headlines featuring Irving’s name were about basketball. That wasn’t always the case when he was in Brooklyn, particularly at the height of the pandemic. But Irving is back to being a player without much controversy, prompting a reporter to ask the Dallas Mavericks point guard about the improved perception of his character.

Kyrie Irving on his character rising:

“That’s something I feel like I had to work towards. Not necessarily care about what people thought about me, but just putting my best foot forward to just be kind, be compassionate, and then my talent was superseded…It’s just the passion… pic.twitter.com/YmOqZbpsuM

— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) February 28, 2025

“That’s something that I feel like I had to work towards,” Irving said Thursday night. “Not necessarily care about what people thought about me, but just putting my best foot forward to just be kind, be compassionate, and then my talent will supersede it. You know, I can entertain you with my magic out there at times. But it’s just the passion that I think you see through me and that exudes. Sometimes I think if I don’t explain it, it could be taken the wrong way. Just like anybody, when you’re really passionate about something, you’re gonna be quirky about it, you’re gonna be curious about it and that’s what basketball is for me.

“Some people judge me on the court, judge me for my passion and what I don’t do right. But judging me off the court for who I am and how I show up for my family and my friends and my community, that’s so much more important cause that’s what I’m gonna be remembered for.”

Irving was never judged for his curiosity about basketball. He was judged for his curiosity about conspiracy theories.

Years before joining the Nets, Irving stepped into a controversy when he shared his Flat Earth conspiracy. He later sparked polarizing headlines by battling the Nets, and the city, over the COVID-19 vaccine. And during his final months in Brooklyn, Irving used his social media platforms to promote a film widely considered to be filled with antisemitic tropes, also sharing a conspiracy theory video from Alex Jones.

By the end of his Nets’ tenure, Irving’s reputation was considered toxic. There were legitimate questions about whether he was still a player worthy of receiving a long-term contract. But in Dallas, Irving has sort of rebuilt his reputation. We haven’t forgotten about his past controversies. But enough time has passed that Irving can step on the court without those controversies being a focal point.