NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley Addresses Kyrie Irving's Vaccine Refusal
By Fiyin Olowokandi on October 23, 2021 at 5:45 AM EDT
The fight for and against the COVID-19 vaccine does not seem to be dying down any time soon, as Charles Barkley spoke on Kyrie Irving's decision to avoid the vaccine.
PEOPLE reported that the "Inside the NBA" analyst did not sugarcoat his support for the vaccine mandate and his displeasure with Irving's choice.
Unhappy With The NBA Player's Stance
Irving's refusal to be vaccinated has led to his inability to practice or play for The Brooklyn Nets. Nevertheless, Barkley expressed his views on the controversial move, saying,
"First of all, you don't get the vaccine for yourself. You get it for other people."
The "Rumble" star said he was vaccinated and expecting the booster, then spoke on inoculation benefits, explaining that the vaccine is first taken for one's family.
Barkley said the second reason for getting the vaccine is one's teammates, and that was what bugged him the most about Irving's situation as he thinks "everybody should get vaccinated."
The analyst also mentioned that he was bugged that Irving will still "make $17 million sitting at home."
The Basketball Hall of Famer praised the Nets for following New York's mandate, which prevents any unvaccinated person over 12-years-old from entering "covered premises" such as the Nets arena.
Getting Called Out By Another Star
The Blast reported that Howard Stern held back no opinions on Irving's refusal to be vaccinated while appearing on the "SiriusXM" radio show.
The radio icon called the All-Star Guard a "douchebag" and the "top idiot" in the US because he turned down the chance to make a million dollars after taking the vaccine.
Stern said Irving has a history of stupidity and was a "flat-earther" whose mind works strangely.
The Nets played their first game of the season without Irving and lost to defending champions the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night with a score of 12-104.
Despite solid play from superstars Kevin Durant and James Harden, the stars could not overpower Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee. People feel the Nets cannot win without Irving.
Defending His Choice
The Blast reported that, on October 13, Irving explained why he would not be receiving the vaccine on an Instagram Live session.
The 20-minute session came a day after his team benched the 29-year-old for not following the pandemic protocols.
HollywoodLife reported that the star began by saying, "Nobody's going to hijack my voice" and asked the public to respect his choices.
The father-of-one said his convictions were about doing what felt right to him and not about being "anti-vax" or vice-versa.
Irving said, "If I'm going to be demonized about having more questions and taking my time to decide with my life, then that's just what it is."
