“I’m happy to see that on Grand Theft Auto, Kyrie is at least up and running around” - Stephen A. Smith reacts to Kyrie Irving’s comments on his haters during his Twitch stream
Kyrie Irving has been spending some of his free time playing video games and streaming on Twitch. Stephen A. Smith, who has been critical of Kyrie all season, is happy to see the former NBA champ running around on Grand Theft Auto.
The Brooklyn Nets were swept in their first-round tie of the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics, giving the All-Star guard some time to himself before the start of the new season.
Stephen A., who has criticized Kyrie for his actions for the better part of the 2021-22 season, once again, called out the Nets star. The TV personality was distraught by Kyrie's comments on Twitch.
On the latest episode of Stephen A.'s World, the ESPN analyst commended Nets GM Sean Marks for his recent comments, also imploring Kyrie to show up to work regularly next season.
"That's Kyrie Irving, mocking folk calling them cockroaches. Kyrie Irving, this week, while the postseason is in full swing. A postseason his team should still be playing in, based on the talent on their roster. Kyrie is out here complaining on Twitch about Celtics fans. Fans of the team that swept Brooklyn out of the playoffs."
"Credit where it's due. I'm happy to see that on Grand Theft Auto, Kyrie is, at least, up and running around. I thought he might play video games how he plays basketball, sitting there half the damn time doing absolutely nothing, letting his squad get taken out."
"Soon enough, Kyrie is going to have to put down the controller, and decide if he's going to opt-in to play for the Nets next season. A Nets team that is clearly expecting him now to actually play basketball, to earn his money."
Kyrie has not been the most dependable player as his requests for personal time have been frowned upon by many.
Kyrie Irving played only 29 regular-season games for the Brooklyn Nets last season
Fans had high hopes for the Nets' 2021-22 campaign as they were considered championship favorites. Their big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie, and James Harden fell short of glory in the 2021 playoffs, and many thought they would turn things around the following season.
However, the first bad news that struck was that Kyrie will be ineligible to play if he remained unvaccinated. While the rule only affected him in New York, the franchise was initially unwilling to have him on a part-time basis initially.
With KD injured and Harden expressing his desire to leave the franchise, the front office opted to recall Kyrie as a part-time player. Uncle Drew played in only 29 regular-season games and was swept in the first round of the playoffs.
Kyrie has stated that he never felt like himself throughout the season, and that is understandable considering the amount of time he spent on the sidelines.
Are the Nets committed to Kyrie Irving long-term?
"He has some decisions to make on his own. We're looking for guys that want to be something bigger than themselves, play team basketball, and be available. That goes for Kyrie and everybody here." https://t.co/yRoLbayv8Z
The Nets will have to make a decision regarding Kyrie's continued stay with the team, as he is due for a contract extension. But their main concern will be his availability.