A roar erupted from the overflow crowd of 18,057 with 4:21 left in the second quarter of the Nets’ homestand against the Knicks. No, it wasn’t because Evan Fournier stood on the charity stripe for two shots. Rather, it was because Kyrie Irving, who had been hitherto been unable to trek to the Barclays Center because of prevailing health protocols in New York, emerged from the visitor’s tunnel and made his way to his courtside seat. No doubt, the surreal sight of the All-Star guard taking in the action but prevented from actually participating in it was not lost on them.
For all the illogic of the city government distinguishing Irving the Spectator from Irving the Player, there can be no going around the lifting of the vaccine mandate that enabled the former and the continued enforcement of the private sector mandate that restricted the latter. In any case, the Nets managed to avert disaster by prevailing over the otherwise-hapless Knicks, however barely, on the strength of an otherworldly effort from future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.
Considering the admittedly ridiculous development that unfolded over the weekend, the criticism that went city mayor Eric Adams’ way was to be expected. Whether it was deserved, however, depends on perspective. The tug-of-war between economic and safety concerns will invariably bring about compromise. As Irving himself said, “It’s not an easy job to be the mayor of New York City. And with COVID looming, the vaccination mandates, everything going on in our world, with this war in the Ukraine, and everybody feeling it across America, I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now trying to delegate whether or not one basketball player can come and play at home.”
In other words, the world does not revolve around Irving. And while the public cheered when Durant called Adams to task for the seeming absurdity playing out on a nationally broadcast match, the Nets’ top dog would have been better off pressuring his teammate instead. The science behind vaccinations is clear, as is the central role Irving has taken in keeping the issue alive.
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.
