Kyrie Irving rejoins Nets, says he 'just needed a pause'

Irving, who missed the last seven games, says he is happy to be back with the team.

Published : Jan 20, 2021 11:28 IST , NEW YORK

Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving in action in an NBA contest on January 5, 2021. - AP
Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving in action in an NBA contest on January 5, 2021. - AP
lightbox-info

Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving in action in an NBA contest on January 5, 2021. - AP

Kyrie Irving rejoined the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, saying he took a leave of absence because he “just needed a pause.”

Irving practiced with the team and could play on Wednesday in Cleveland. He has missed the last seven games — five while away from the team and two more while regaining his conditioning after he was eligible to return.

Resting his head on his arms folded in front of him while he spoke during a Zoom interview, Irving didn’t give a clear reason for his absence, saying he had a lot of family and personal stuff going on.

“I’m a hometown kid so things hit a little different when family and personal stuff going on, and that’s up to me to handle that as a man,” Irving said. “But yeah, I just take full accountability for my absence with the guys and just had a conversation with each one of them and we move on.”

ALSO READ | Harden stars in Nets win

Irving was fined USD 50,000 for violating the NBA’s health and safety protocols after he was seen in a video posted on social media during his absence at an indoor family party while not wearing a mask. He also lost nearly USD 900,000 of his USD 33.5 million salary because two of the games he missed were during a mandated quarantine period.

Irving said he was happy to be back with the team, which acquired James Harden during his absence. The Nets have won both games since the trade.

“We got some great pieces and we just move on, and I let my actions and my game speak for itself like I planned on doing,” Irving said. “Just needed a pause.”

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment