Kyrie Irving ‘will not play or train’ with Brooklyn Nets due to vaccination status

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(CNN) – Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks has confirmed that Kyrie Irving “will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant,” as issues related to the star guard’s vaccination status continue.On Friday, a New York City Hall official told CNN that Irving will be allowed to practice at the team’s facilities, but that he will not be eligible to play in the Nets’ home games at the Barclays Center due to the mandate. of vaccination against the covid-19 of the city.

Irving was present on the bench in the preseason game on October 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nets coach Steve Nash had admitted that his team will not have Irving for upcoming home games, but Marks said the Nets would not allow a team member to work at half time.

“Kyrie has made a personal decision and we respect her individual right to choose,” Marks said in a statement.

“Currently, the election restricts your ability to be a full-time team member, and we will not allow any member of our team to participate with part-time availability.
It is imperative that we continue to build chemistry as a team and remain true to our long-established values ​​of togetherness and sacrifice, “added Marks.

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Irving, a seven-time All-Star, had spoken on league media day last month about his excitement about playing in front of the team’s fans again, but he declined to reveal his vaccination status, saying he “would like to keep all that private. “

“I know that I will be there every day no matter what happens and that I will be present for my teammates as one of the leaders of the team,” he added.

“I know the focus has to be at its highest, with no distractions. This is the last thing I wanted to create, it was more distractions and more fuss and more drama surrounding this. I’m doing my best to keep this with good intentions. and good heart “. the player said at the time.

The NBA warned the Nets, as well as the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors in September, that new covid-19 policies established by local governments will prohibit any unvaccinated player from playing at home in New York City and San Francisco.

The Nets open their 2021-22 season against defending NBA champion the Milwaukee Bucks on October 19, before hosting their first home game of the season on October 24 against the Charlotte Hornets.