"You can't be halfway in on the team" - Kyrie Irving's former teammate Channing Frye criticizes the Brooklyn Nets star for anti-vaccination stance
Kyrie Irving would have thought that his former teammate would show support for his non-committal COVID-19 vaccination stance. Instead, the opposite has happened.
Channing Frye, a member of the 2016 NBA championship-winning Cleveland Cavaliers, has taken a critical view of Kyrie Irving's non-availability to the Brooklyn Nets. Frye's comments came after Irving did not practice with the Nets on Tuesday.
Steve Nash confirms that Kyrie Irving did not practice with the Nets today and wasn’t at the facility.
Appearing on NBA TV, Frye was asked to respond to the Kyrie Irving situation after Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas had his say on the matter with a rhetorical question:
“When you look at the Brooklyn situation, while they have talent, will they be able to form the type of chemistry that a championship team needs to win a championship in the NBA, with one of your best players potentially being in or out and this is the conversation every day, ‘Is Kyrie here or is he not?’”
"You can't be halfway in on the team."
@channingfrye and @IsiahThomas tell @MattWinerTV their thoughts on Kyrie Irving's situation with the Nets. https://t.co/RyGaYbhDU9
Frye agreed with Thomas' comments and said:
"You can't be halfway in on the team. You can't come for dinner and then leave right before the bill comes… For me, you have got to be all in on the team. There are things that happen during the season. Whether your knees, your back or there are injuries, you have to take time away for your health. But to not be able to practice, to not be on the bus, to not be in the rhythm of your team… when things get tough, you got to know that person and trust that person that they are going to go to the trenches with you."
Kyrie Irving has asked for privacy on his vaccination status
The entire fracas surrounding Kyrie Irving's unavailability stems from the fact that he hasn't clarified his vaccination status.
The NBA does not require players to be vaccinated to play or practice in the upcoming 2021-22 season. However, local city laws in New York and San Francisco need players to be vaccinated to play for their respective teams.
So far, Kyrie Irving hasn't confirmed whether he is vaccinated or not. When asked about his vaccination status on media day, he replied:
“I like to keep that stuff private. I’m a human being first. Obviously living in this public sphere, there’s a lot of questions about what’s going on in the world of Kyrie, and I think I would love to keep that private and handle it the right way with my team and go forward together with a plan. Obviously I’m not able to be present there today, but that doesn’t mean I’m putting any limits on the future for me being able to join the team.”