NBA Player Kyrie Irving Admits He Won't Be Celebrating Thanksgiving With NSFW Comment

Basketball players will start feuds with your favorite holidays if you catch them at the wrong [...]

By Jose Bastidas

Basketball players will start feuds with your favorite holidays if you catch them at the wrong time.

The Boston Celtics player — who is part Native American — was caught in a storm of backlash after he lashed out at the Thanksgiving holiday following a loss Wednesday night.

Irving was asked about his views on the holiday as his team suffered a 117-109 loss at home to the visiting New York Knicks, as first reported by Slam.

According to the Boston Herald, the NBA player not only said he was not interested in celebrating the holiday but also had an explicit responsive to the tradition.

"I don't celebrate Thanksgiving. F- Thanksgiving," he reportedly said Wednesday night.

The comment was met with serious backlash from fans and social media users, who found the player's comments about the holiday offensive.

"When the going gets tough, people show who they really are. This isnt the first or last for [Kyrie Irving]," one Twitter user wrote Thursday.

"Kyrie Irving doesn't celebrate thanksgiving I guess he doesn't admire of having a day off and eat turkey," another user wrote, expressing his wise take on the subject.

After noticing the controversy, the NBA player took to social media to clarify his comments.

"I spoke w/frustration after last nights game and spoke words that shouldn't be in a professional setting no matter what," he wrote on Twitter.

"Meant no disrespect to the Holiday and those who celebrate it respectfully. I'm grateful for the time We all share with our families. We are always ONE," he added.

Irving later told NBC Sports Boston that his issues with the holiday come from his Native American heritage.

His late mother, Elizabeth Larson, was a descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, ESPN reports. Over the past few years, Irving has embraces his heritage, including getting a tattoo of the tribe's logo on the back of his neck.

In August, Irving took part in a Lakota naming ceremony and was given the name "Little Mountain."

Many fans responded to his social media apology with supportive messages.

"Love you. You weren't wrong. Real ones know that," one user commented.

"You're human and you were frustrated!!! No need to apologize! We still love ya!!!" another user commented.

"Don't apologize it's not needed I would've said it to man after losing to the Knicks," a third user related.

"Perhaps could have been worded differently but your sentiments are real..."Thanksgiving" is a period of mourning typically for those of Native American descent. Stay 100," another one paraphrased.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of