First things first: Opinions can and will vary over time. People are entitled — and, given the introduction of significant information, actually enjoined — to alter their thought processes and beliefs, even value systems. Outside of fundamental mores and ideals, anything is fair game. In life, the only thing constant is change. Which is to say Kyrie Irving has every right to oppose the move of the National Basketball Association to resume the 2019-20 campaign under extraordinary circumstances shortly after he got behind it.
Why Irving did a 180-degree turn is relevant to the discussion, to be sure. When the players association, of which he is a vice-president, held a conference call to discuss the issues a week and a half ago, he was, according to ESPN, an “active participant,” but one who confined queries to “mundane” matters. And the final tally, a unanimous 28-0 vote acceding to the decision of the Board of Governors to restart the season, certainly reflected his position. For some reason, however, he then went the other way — even going so far as to lead calls to sit out the proceedings. “I don’t support going to Orlando,” The Athletic quoted him as saying in a subsequent virtual meeting among close to a hundred players. “I’m not with the systematic racism and the bull—.”
Granted, Irving has subjected himself to valid criticism for his seeming flip-flop. At the time of his yes vote, civil unrest was already hogging headlines half a month removed from George Floyd’s utterly avoidable death. Why he didn’t speak up then, only he can answer. It also doesn’t help his cause that he’s convalescing from surgery to his right shoulder, and therefore cannot suit up at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Walt Disney World even if he were so predisposed. Then again, there can be no discounting the power of his message, and why it resonates to many other players.
In the short term, Irving’s impassioned views should spur discussions and move issues forward. All sides, including his, need to be heard, and the hope is that the ultimate outcome will have been arrived at following healthy debate among open-minded quarters. In this regard, he is serving his role extremely well, prompting relevant, if awkward, second-guessing and subjecting plans to all eventualities. And in compelling the crediting of contrarian considerations, collaboration is counted as critical to creating consensus.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
