On Sunday (November 20), a large crowd of Black Hebrew Israelites gathered in support of Kyrie Irving as he returned to the Nets from suspension as they faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies. This comes a week after Irving sparked controversy after promoting an antisemitic film on Twitter and then refusing to apologize.
Before the game, Kyrie was asked about the group gathering, and he told the media, "I didn’t see it. There was a group outside? I think that’s a conversation for another day. Just want to focus on ball … I’m just here to focus on the game."
Irving has since apologized for causing harm toward the Jewish community, and he further explained his stance around the controversial film he promoted following the game on Sunday. When asked about the film, Kyrie explained, "Well, that was the intent when I was watching the movie, was to have a deeper understanding of my family heritage and where I come from. And when I said I meant no harm, I meant that. To learn about the lost tribes of Israel, to learn about Black history in a way where it's not degrading anyone else's history is important to me."
