Kyrie Irving Allegedly Asks Pro-Jewish Signs Removed During Mavs vs. Jazz Game: ‘Interfered With Play Of Game’
A group of rabbis claimed that security at the Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks game on Monday asked them to put away their pro-Jewish signs.
Rabbi Avremi Zippel told TMZ that the incident came after Mavericks star Kyrie Irving allegedly complained to security about their signs.
However, according to the outlet, a representative for Irving denied his involvement in the incident.
Zippel said he and three other rabbis secured courtside seats with the intention of conveying a message to Irving regarding his antisemitism controversy last year.
During the first quarter, they displayed signs proclaiming, "I'm a Jew, and I'm Proud," which reportedly caught Irving's attention.
According to Zippel, Irving initially responded positively, stating, "Nice, I'm a Jew, too," but allegedly later said, "Don't gotta bring something like that to the game."
Utah Jazz Told Rabbis To Remove Pro-Jewish Signs After Kyrie Irving Interaction | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/F3wng4UAXl
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) January 3, 2024
The Jazz fan claimed that security then approached them, instructing them to stop holding up the signs, citing a policy against posters in the front row.
But the rabbi claimed they were told by another staffer that Irving allegedly had complained.
The Utah Jazz later released a statement, asserting that the signs violated the Code of Conduct due to their distracting nature and interference with the game.
"During an out-of-bounds play in the first quarter of yesterday's Jazz game against the Dallas Mavericks, there was a group sitting courtside whose signs sparked an interaction with a player that created a distraction and interfered with play of game," the team said without naming the player, according to TMZ. "As the next step in standard security protocol, the fans were asked to take down their signs."
The team clarified that the removal was not based on the signs' content but rather the "disruptive interaction" caused by their usage.
Irving and the Mavericks have not yet publicly addressed the incident.
Irving has a history of controversy, notably in October 2022 when he was suspended by his then-team, the Brooklyn Nets, for tweeting a link to a film containing what civil rights activists deemed antisemitic content. The post has since been deleted.
Irving did not specifically denounce the film or its message. However, the Anti-Defamation League said in a letter that the NBA superstar popularizing the content would "lead directly to the harm of Jews," according to The New York Times.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver criticized Irving for his "reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material."
Nets owner Joe Tsai also shared his disappointment in Irving's actions via social media.
I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.
— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) October 29, 2022
The Nets suspended Irving for five games in November 2022 because he "refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film."
Just hours after he was suspended, Irving apologized via Instagram for promoting a film he said contained "false antisemitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive" and said he took full responsibility for his decision to share the content with his followers. The post has since been removed.
