Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving ‘grateful’ to fans for NBA All-Star selection

Nets star Kyrie Irving vowed to put on a show for fans after he was voted No. 1 shooting guard in the Eastern Conference for the NBA All-Star Game.

The 30-year-old, who was the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, starts alongside Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell on the perimeter.

Irving ranked first among players and fans but fourth on the media ballot, so following Thursday’s loss to the Pistons, Irving was quick to show his gratitude to the fans for voting him out in his eighth Game of Thrones. stars.

Kyrie Irving thanked fans for their support as he led fan voting for the All-Star East guards

Irving was ranked No. 1 among his peers and among fans in the 2023 NBA All-Star voting.

“I am beyond grateful and I don’t take any of these achievements for granted because this is my eighth,” he said.

“I’m just thankful for the people back home. I wouldn’t be here without you. Everyone voted for me and I’m ready to put on a show.

On the court Irving has dazzled this season. He had 40 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in Thursday’s loss to the Pistons and is averaging 27.2 points on the season.

But it remains a surprise that it remains a fan favorite after suffering backlash and criticism for posting a link to a controversial film that contained anti-Semitic tropes.

The Brooklyn Nets star drew attention for publicizing the 2018 film that is based on a book of the same name that has been described as “venomously anti-Semitic.”

In October, Irving shared a link to the Amazon page for the 2018 production ‘Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America’ that contained anti-Semitic tropes.

Irving was suspended by the Nets for a minimum of five games after he initially refused to apologize and said he had no anti-Semitic beliefs when meeting reporters at the Nets’ practice facility.

The anti-Semitism row even prompted sportswear giant Nike to end its association with the embattled star.

Irving, who is in the final year of his contract with the Nets, has finally offered a belated apology following his suspension and apologized again to the Jewish community.

After missing eight games through suspension, his second apology paved the way for his return to the court. Last season he played just 29 games due to his failure to get a Covid shot, and a city mandate in Brooklyn requiring vaccination to enter Barclays Center.

Now Irving, who garnered more than 4.4 million fan votes in the All-Star voting process, is paying tribute to the ‘power of the community’ that saw him topping the charts.

The anti-Semitism row prompted sportswear giant Nike to end its association with Irving.

Irving continues to be incredibly popular with fans and has vowed to put on a show for them.

“It just shows the community power of what I’ve been able to build over time,” he said.

“International community vote, obviously this community here in the United States, but I feel like I’ve worked hard enough to deserve this year and I just want to let my work speak for itself.”

Irving and teammate Kevin Durant have been selected as starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.

For Irving, this is his sixth starting All-Star selection, including each of his last five All-Star selections in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

Irving, who won the 2014 All-Star Game MVP, has played 36 times for the Nets this season, recording 30 or more points 13 times.