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Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving spoke to reporters for the first time on Monday since violating the NBA’s requirement that players be available to the media, which landed him and the team a $25,000 fine last week.
Irving reiterated that his decision to remain silent was a matter of focus.
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"The focus is on what's going on in here," he said, via ESPN. "And I wanted to make sure that was clear, no distractions, nothing about dispelling anything, nothing about going back and forth."
Irving has had a complicated relationship with the media and was nearly fined by the NBA last season for not speaking as obligated while sidelined by a shoulder injury. Not much has changed during the preseason, and Irving was fined $25,000 on Thursday for refusing to participate in team media availability on several occasions.
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He addressed the situation in a statement through his publicist the following day.
“I am committed to show up to work every day, ready to have fun, compete, perform, and win championships alongside my teammates and colleagues in the Nets organization. My goal this season is to let my work on and off the court speak for itself.”
Irving’s message was the same on Monday, but he explained his hesitation to talk with reporters.
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"It's really just about how I felt about the mistreatment of certain artists when we get to a certain platform of when we make decisions within our lives to have full control and ownership ... We want to perform in a secure and protected space," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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