Stephen A. Smith believes Kyrie Irving should retire from basketball.
The ESPN artist thinks Irving’s personal leave is not proof that he’s not in the game and that he owes it to fans, the Nets organization and his teammates to step down.
‘He’s not worth it [the drama] not at all, ”Smith said on the network on Wednesday. ‘I want to say it straight up and down: I think Kyrie Irving should retire. I think he should announce his retirement today. Obviously, you do not want to play bad enough basketball. ”
The 28-year-old Irving will miss his fifth consecutive game when the Nets tackle the Knicks on Wednesday night in the Garden Series. His absence is apparently because he is upset about the American Capitol riot. But Monday night, a video of a maskless Irving appeared during a family birthday party.
While the video was not dated, his father, Drederick, turned 55 on Monday and sister, Asia, turned 30 on Tuesday. Then, on Tuesday, Irving was spotted at a video call launch party for Tahanie Aboushi, a Democratic candidate for the district attorney in Manhattan.
“Kyrie Irving did not put basketball first, but I’m not saying he does not want everyone to play together,” Smith said. ‘I say he did not prioritize it, and how fair was that for Brooklyn Nets? How fair is that to Sean Marks? How fair is that to Steve Nash – a coach he endorses to bring on board, a coach he wants, a coach he fully supports? How fair is that to his brotha, Kevin Durant? ”
Smith praised Irving for his good work off the field, but also remarked that he could do those things while he was still playing.
“This is the problem I have: he acts like he can not chew gum and walk at the same time,” Smith said.