Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving shared his thoughts on the Hong Hong-China controversy that has enveloped the NBA in recent weeks.
Irving spoke to reporters after a game against the Toronto Raptors in New York City on Friday. Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters attended the game wearing shirts that read “Stand With Hong Kong.”
Players have spoken with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver over the tensions between the league and China over a tweet by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey supporting protests in Hong Kong. The meeting also covered how to respond to questions by U.S. media over the league’s decision to distance itself from Morey.
Irving spoke about the meeting with Silver but declined to give specifics.
“Listen, I stand for four things: inner peace, freedom, equality, and world peace, man. So if that’s being conflicted inside of me, I’m definitely going to have something to say, and I left it in that room,” Irving said.
Irving declined to weigh in on the protests against China currently taking place in Hong Kong.
“The reality is, as individuals, it’s our job to stand up for what we believe in. Now, I understand Hong Kong and China are dealing with their issues, respectively,” Irving said. “But there’s enough oppression and stuff going on in America.”
Black Americans are “fighting for everyday freedoms,” Irving said. “So when I think about Hong Kong and China, the people are in an uproar. For us as Americans to comment on it, African Americans or American Indians to comment on that, you’re connected nonetheless, especially when it impacts freedoms or world peace.”
“America was built on protesting, built on slavery…” pic.twitter.com/DThliHG9gf
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) October 19, 2019
“So for me as an individual, I stand up for those four pillars, and when they’re being conflicted, I can understand why protesters come to the games,” Irving concluded, referring to the pro-Hong Kong protesters that attended the game against the Raptors.
