Kyrie Irving’s fans badly want him to play – with or without the jab.
A large group of fans gathered outside of the Barclays Center ahead of Sunday’s Brooklyn Nets home-opener. Some of the pro-Irving protestors even managed to break through the barriers and make their way to the front entrance of the building.
Irving’s stance of refusing to be vaccinated has left him off the Nets roster. This is the result of a New York vaccination mandate requiring all professional athletes wanting to compete in the city’s public venues to get the jab.
While the Nets would have been a liberty to allow Irving to join in on games played on the road, they’ve opted instead to leave him off the team altogether. It isn’t clear whether the several empty seats in the arena had been the result of the commotion created by the protestors.
According to one of the protestors, Curtis Orwell, the protest was meant to be a fight for the rights of players to choose for themselves what happens to their bodies. He himself not vaccinated, Orwell said he even knew of people who had lost their jobs because of their refusal to get the jab. He said their decisions need to be respected.
Kyrie Irving, in the meantime, has been sticking to his story of his doing what’s best for him personally. He says he’s willing to be judged for his decision and would not change his stance on the matter. This situation has sparked considerable debate among fans and those interested in sports betting, as Irving’s absence could significantly impact the Nets’ performance and betting odds.
For those focused on NBA betting, Irving’s situation adds another layer of complexity to predicting outcomes for the Brooklyn Nets this season.
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