Irving: Refusal to get vaccinated about ‘what’s best for me’
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving says he doesn’tt want to lose salary or a chance to compete for a championship with the Brooklyn Nets, but was doing “what’s best for me” by refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The Nets decided Tuesday that Irving wouldn’t be with the team because he isn’t eligible to play in home games, where a New York mandate requires professional athletes playing for one of the city’s teams to be vaccinated to practice or play in public venues. Speaking on Instagram Live, Irving said he loved basketball and wasn’t going to retire and understood the consequences of his decision.