Nets suspend Kyrie Irving no less than five games after failure to apologize for anti-Semitic post

The Brooklyn Nets have announced the suspension of point guard Kyrie Irving for at least five games.

The team released a statement Wednesday night saying that the decision stemmed from Irving’s failure to directly apologize for posting a link on Twitter to a film deemed “toxicly anti-Semitic” when he met the allowed to speak to the media.

“We have decided that Kyrie will face a no-payment suspension until he complies with a set of objective corrective actions that address the harmful effects of his conduct and the suspension period is not less than five games,” Nets’ statement read in part.

During a brief media appearance Thursday, Irving was asked if he holds any anti-Semitic beliefs, to which he replied, “Again, I’m going to repeat, I don’t know how the label is justified because you keep asking me the same questions.

‘But this isn’t going to be a turning circle, question after question. I told you how I felt. I respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life. There I am.’

When further pressed to provide a clear answer to the question, Irving claimed that he “cannot be anti-Semitic if he knows where he comes from.”

Irving angered many after he posted a link to the Amazon page for the 2018 movie “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” ​​last week.

The film is based on a 2015 book of the same name, which has been described as “toxic anti-Semitic.” In particular, it cites Hitler to convince the public of the existence of a Jewish plan for world domination.

It comes just a day after Irving and the Nets organization pledged to partner with the Anti-Defamation League in addition to donating $500k individually to causes that “eradicate intolerance.”

Irving accepted responsibility for his actions and accepted that the film contained “dubious and untrue” content, but made no apologies.

“I take my responsibility to post that. Some of the things that were questionable there were not true.

“Like I said the first time you asked me when I was on that stage, I don’t believe everything everyone posts.”

However, Irving did not apologize and when asked if he would, he said, “I’m not the one who made the documentary.”

Irving also seemed to hit back at reporters when asked if he was surprised that people were injured by his actions.

He asked back, ‘Where were you when I discovered as a child that 300 million of my ancestors are buried in America? Where did you ask the same questions when I was a child and learn about the traumatic events of my family history?

“And why has it nothing to do with rejecting another race or group of people if I repeat to myself that I’m not going to resign? I’m just proud of my heritage and what we’ve been through.

“I’m not afraid of these microphones, these cameras. I can reject any label you put on me because I’m a student. I know the Oxford dictionary.’

After six minutes of speaking, the press conference was cut short by a Nets PR employee.