Nets guard Kyrie Irving was elected to the executive committee of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today, replacing Pau Gasol as one of the union’s vice presidents, per an official release. Gasol’s three-year term as VP had expired.
“This was the right time for me to run for a leadership position in the NBPA,” Irving said in a statement. “I have been an observer and a participant in union affairs for a while, but for the most part, I was off on the sidelines, supporting our Executive Committee as they made important decisions. At this point in my career, I wanted to join forces with those guys and take a bigger role outside of the basketball court and within our union.
“I want to help move the union forward with innovative ideas, not only on social issues but also with business ventures into a new space. I am honored to be elected by my peers and I cannot wait to work with everybody to make an impact.”
Irving will join an executive committee led by union president Chris Paul and first vice president Andre Iguodala. The Nets star will be one of six NBPA VPs, along with Bismack Biyombo, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, CJ McCollum, and teammate Garrett Temple.
Irving, who has missed Brooklyn’s last five games with a knee injury, is believed to be nearing a return, though the team has yet to announce whether or not that will happen this Thursday in Philadelphia.
oh god
Lol
This dude and leader don’t belong in the same sentence.
Lmao
Well, he certainly has the free time.
More sick days to come
Can’t he just fall off the edge of the Earth already
This is comical. If sounds like a Saturday Night Live sketch. First order of business…let’s get to the bottom of this “round Earth” hoax.
‘It,” too.
A ‘new ideas’-guy. Not so good with any old idea, no matter how crucial, like the shape of the earth or the terms of a contract.
Clown exposure, perfect for announcing during ASG week.
So is the next CBA gonna be flat or round?
Since I’m the anti leader on a team I thought I should naturally run for leadership positions in the league.
How often has this guy missed games this year? Feels like he’s barely played. I know he’s gotta be thinking this season is a wash until KD is back next season but you’d think he’d want to be a leader for this younger team as a star player in this league and as a veteran on this team but he doesn’t really seem to driven to be on the floor. Maybe I’m wrong, just really growing tired of this guy
It’s comical how optimistic Nets fans were last summer when Brooklyn signed Kyrie and Durant. They’re not a championship team.
They’re not even a middling/decent team.
like the Celtics? true, the Nets have bigger holes in their roster but they would look better if their new duo could get on the floor. The Nets would look decent if they were healthy but who knows if that will ever happen for longer than a month.
Nets fans? It’s comical just be a nets fan
I think he was originally talking about me, but I’m more of just a Dinwiddie fan– and supposedly Dins is on the block.
Anyway, next year is their test.
Might as well try something he is good at instead of riding the pine. His constant whining and crying will finally be an asset.
Now he’ll finally have something relevant to whine about. Maybe.
I’m sure he’ll have his own best interests in the forefront of his mind as he “serves”
Leaders sacrifice and are visionaries. How on earth has this guy shown any leadership qualities?
I would think a player should have at least a positive approval rating from his own teammates before he runs as an executive leader for the whole union.
So the union has a president, a first vice president, and six unspecified regular vice presidents.
Irving should be the VP of strategic absence.
Good he has the respect that matters, the players, fans don’t really matter, y’all keep on hating him, he doesn’t care nor reads forums like this but… what he does is make millions every year!
Hey El Don, you broke out the knee pads for that one, dude.