In light of Irving's backtracking, the Anti-Defamation league said it could not "in good conscience accept" Irving's donation, and said it was clear that "Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions". Irving did find some allies online, with rapper Kanye West - recently reinstated to Twitter after being banned for his own use of anti-Semitic rhetoric - posting several messages of support on the site. It isn't the first time Irving has courted controversy in recent years. He played just 29 of the Nets 82 regular season games for the 2021-22 season after refusing to take a Covid-19 vaccine.

Hours later, the club issued a strongly worded statement, banning Irving and saying they were "dismayed" that the player "refused to unequivocally say he has no anti-Semitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film". "Such failure to disavow anti-Semitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organisation, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team," the statement added. "Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets." They added that he would be suspended until he completed some unspecified "remedial measures" and would miss at least five games.

But when asked during a news event on Thursday whether he held any anti-Semitic beliefs, Irving refused to expressly condemn the film and its message. Instead, he told told reporters: "I respect all walks of life. I embrace all walks of life. That's where I sit."When pressed to provide a direct answer, Irving simply replied that he could not "be anti-Semitic if I know where I come from".

In his statement on Thursday night, Irving said he had "reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labelled anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary". "I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate," he added.

On Wednesday, in response to the outcry, Irving and the Nets said the 30-year-old took "responsibility" for the "negative impact" his post had towards the Jewish community and he has since deleted the original tweet. The club and Irving said they would work with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit organisation that fights all forms of anti-Semitism and bias, to develop education in the community and pledged that each will donate $500,000 (£440,000) towards causes and organisations "that work to eradicate hate and intolerance".

"I am learning from this unfortunate event," he added. The seven-time NBA All-Star was roundly condemned last week - including by Nets owner Joe Tsai and the National Basketball Association (NBA) - after he linked to a 2018 film widely condemned as being grossly anti-Semit

In a statement posted to Instagram, Irving said he was "deeply sorry" for the "hurt and pain" he had caused

The star received a five-game ban after he defended his decision to post a link to a documentary that has been criticised as anti-Semitic on Twitter.

US basketball star Kyrie Irving has apologised after he was suspended by his club, the Brooklyn Nets, amid allegations of anti-Semitism.

Irving returned to the Nets on Nov. 20 after he missed eight games. The Nets are in eighth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, at 13-12.

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, was dropped from Adidas and Gap after making antisemitic statements earlier this year.The musician defended Irving in an Instagram post on Halloween.“There’s some real ones still here,” Ye wrote on Oct. 31 alongside a black and white photo of Irving.

The two later met and Irving issued an apology on his Instagram page. He later told reporters he doesn’t “stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is going against the human race.”“I feel like we all should have an opportunity to speak for ourselves when things are assumed about us and I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountability for my actions, because there was a way I should have handled all this and as I look back and reflect when I had the opportunity to offer my deep regrets to anyone that felt threatened or felt hurt by what I posted, that wasn’t my intent at all,” Irving said in late November.

The Kyrie 8 was slated to be released in late November. Irving has been under contract with Nike since 2014.The Brooklyn Nets, where Irving has played since 2019, suspended Irving for at least five games without pay after he tweeted the antisemitic video and then failed to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.”NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had sought an apology from Irving and when one didn’t come, he said the athlete is “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

The decision to sever ties with Irving comes just a month after Nike suspended its agreement with the longtime guard and announced it wouldn’t be releasing the latest version of his sneakers, the Kyrie 8.“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the company said in a statement at the time.Nike founder Phil Knight told CNBC in an interview last month that he believed Irving stepped over the line.

Shetellia Riley Irving, Irving’s agent, told CNBC the decision was mutual.“We have mutually decided to part ways and wish Nike the best in their future endeavors,” she said.

The Brooklyn Nets star is no longer under contract with the footwear giant after Irving shared antisemitic content on social media and then refused for a time to say he was against antisemitism.

Nike has officially cut ties with Kyrie Irving, the company said Monday.

Nike and Kyrie Irving split up after antisemitism controversy

Ben Berke, a Nets fan who lives in Astoria, Queens, told The Times that Irving’s apology was an “improvement.”“But I don’t want him on the team anymore,” he said.

Irving’s apology seemed to come too late for Nike, which suspended its relationship with him “effective immediately” on Nov. 4 and announced it would not launch his next signature sneaker, the Kyrie 8.“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the company said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”Nike had produced Irving’s popular signature sneaker line since 2014; his contract expires in October 2023. One marketing expert said brands have become more conscious about their values in recent years.

Why did Nike suspend ties Irving after he apologized?

What did Irving say in his apology?Hours after he was suspended Nov. 3, Irving apologized in an Instagram post, saying he “had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate.”“To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize.I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary.”

But some N.B.A. players may be ready to push back on Irving’s behalf.“The terms for his return, they seem like a lot,” Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics told The Boston Globe on Nov. 7. He added: “A lot of the players expressed discomfort with the terms.”Brown, like Irving, is one of the vice presidents in the N.B.A. players’ union. He told The Globe that he was “expecting” the union to appeal the suspension, saying that Irving “made a mistake” but was not antisemitic.“There is an interesting distinction between what somebody says verbally and what somebody posts as a link on a platform with no description behind it,” he said.

Within hours, the Nets suspended him for at least five games, saying he was “unfit to be associated” with the team. “We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film,” the Nets said in a statement. “This was not the first time he had the opportunity — but failed — to clarify.“Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team.”

When asked what specific points in the film he did not agree with, Irving responded vaguely. “Some of the criticism of the Jewish faith and the community, for sure,” he said. “Some points made in there that were unfortunate.”When Irving was asked if he had any antisemitic beliefs, he said he respected all walks of life. “I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from,” Irving said when he was asked to answer the question with a “yes” or “no.

About 30 minutes after Silver’s statement, Irving spoke to reporters at a Nets practice: “I didn’t mean to cause any harm. I’m not the one that made the documentary.”

By Nov. 3, Irving had not apologized, and he had not been clear about what content he disagreed with in the film. N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver said he would meet with Irving.“Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material,” Silver said in a statement. He added: “I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize.”

The Nets played the Pacers again Oct. 31 at Barclays Center and faced the Bulls in Chicago on Nov. 1, but the team did not make Irving available to reporters after either game. General Manager Sean Marks said the team did not “want to cause more fuss right now, more interaction with people.” (The Nets, who have struggled on the court, also fired their head coach, Steve Nash, on Nov. 1, but Marks said the move was not related to Irving’s situation.)

“I am aware of the negative impact of my post towards the Jewish community and I take responsibility,” Irving said in a statement. “I do not believe everything said in the documentary was true or reflects my morals and principles.”

“History is not supposed to be hidden from anybody,” Irving said. He added: “I’m not going to stand down on anything I believe in. I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone. I have a whole army around me.”Irving accused an ESPN reporter of trying to “dehumanize” him as he and the reporter argued about whether Irving had “promoted” the film by posting about it.

During a contentious news conference, Irving doubled down on his support of the film and an antigovernment conspiracy theory promoted by the Infowars host Alex Jones.

“I’m disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-semitic disinformation. I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion.”

In a letter dated Nov. 4, the Anti-Defamation League and the Nets called on Amazon to take down or add explanatory context to the film and a related book, writing that they were “designed to inflame hatred and, now that it was popularized by Mr. Irving, will lead directly to the harm of Jews.”

The Instagram post was part of a story, a format that expires after 24 hours; the tweet was deleted Oct. 30.

What did Irving post on Twitter?On Oct. 27, Irving tweeted a link to “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” a 2018 film driven by antisemitic tropes about Jewish people lying about their origins. Among its false and outlandish claims is the assertion that the Holocaust never happened.Irving also made an Instagram post with a screenshot of the film’s rental page on Amazon, which he had linked to on Twitter. Neither post included a caption or comment from Irving.

but over the past few years Irving has often been discussed more for his off-court views. In a 2018 interview with The New York Times, he suggested that the Earth might be flat, and over the past year he had refused to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Irving, a seven-time N.B.A. All-Star, has been with the Nets since 2019. He won a championship with James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016

The Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said in a post on Twitter on Nov. 10 that Irving should no longer be suspended. “Kyrie apologized and he should be able to play,” James said. “That’s what I think. It’s that simple. Help him learn — but he should be playing.”

In an interview with The New York Times on Nov. 10, N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver said that he met with Irving in New York and did not believe that he was antisemitic, but that “whether or not he is antisemitic is not relevant to the damage caused by the posting of hateful content.”

prompting the Nets on Nov. 3 to suspend him indefinitely. He has since apologized, but the fallout continues: On Nov. 4, Nike condemned hate and antisemitism, and suspended its relationship with Irving effective immediately.

For a week after Irving posted the link to the film, he declined to apologize or say that he held no antisemitic beliefs

Nets guard Kyrie Irving continues to face backlash for posting a link on Twitter to an antisemitic film last month.

“Where were you guys asking those same questions when I was a kid learning about the traumatic events of my familial history and what I’m proud to come from and proud to stand here,” Irving said, “and why when I repeat myself that I’m not going to stand down, it has nothing to do with dismissing any other race or group people. “I’m just proud of my heritage and what we’ve been through and the fact that this has pinned me against the Jewish community and I’m here answering questions of whether or not I’m sorry or not about something I didn’t create and was something I shared, and I’m telling everybody I’m taking responsibility, than that’s where I sit.” Irving was also asked specifically about his beliefs regarding the Holocaust. “Those falsehoods are unfortunate,” Irving said, referring to content in the film. “And it’s not that I don’t believe in the Holocaust. I never said that. Never, ever have said it. It’s not come out of my mouth. I never tweeted it. I never liked anything like it. So the Holocaust in itself is an event that means something to a large group of people that suffered something that could have been avoided.”

“To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize,” Irving wrote. “I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary.”

Last year, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 2,717 incidents of harassment, vandalism or violence targeting Jews — the highest annual total since it began tracking these incidents in 1979. The recent antisemitic incidents come four years after the deadliest attack on American Jews, when 11 people were killed at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and just days before contentious midterm elections throughout the U.S.

“He is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

And in Florida on Saturday, the phrase “Kanye is right about the jews” was projected on the outside of one of the end zones at the TIAA Bank Field stadium in Jacksonville during the Florida-Georgia football game — a reference to recent antisemitic comments that the music mogul formerly known as Kanye West has made on social media and in interviews that led to him losing partnerships with Adidas and several other companies.

His reluctance to do so earlier Thursday came hours before the FBI said it had received credible information about a “broad” threat to synagogues in New Jersey, Irving’s home state.

“Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team. Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

WATCH: Antisemitic comments from public figures spark concern over real-world implications

We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity — but failed — to clarify,” the Nets said in a statement.

The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay Thursday, dismayed by his repeated failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.” Hours after Irving refused to issue the apology that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting a link to an antisemitic work on his Twitter feed, the Nets said that Irving is “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”

Biden’s polling is in more dangerous territory than Obama’s in 2011

That compares with Biden’s +49 among Black voters versus Trump in our latest NBC News poll (69% to 20%), and Trump being +4 among voters 18 to 34 (46% to 42%).

Biden also has a lower approval rating — and higher disapproval rating — in our polling than Obama ever had during his first term.

Biden’s current numbers are in more dangerous territory for an incumbent than Obama’s ever were at this same point in time.

What’s more, our same November 2011 poll had Obama ahead of a generic Republican, versus our November 2023 poll showing Biden trailing a generic Republican by double digits.

In fact, our national November 2011 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed Obama leading Romney by 6 points, compared to our latest NBC News poll finding Donald Trump ahead of Biden by 2 points, which is well within the poll’s margin of error.

assessed his first technical foul of the season -- and just the third of his career -- with 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter for arguing the non-call against James.

I see Bron shooting four free throws," Ham said after the game, "and the amount of times he attacked the rim, the amount of times he was slapped on the arm, which I could see plain as day, for that not to be called, man ... he's not flopping. I'm watching him go to the hole strong."

What they're telling me is not consistent with what's actually happening on the floor," James said. "When I went for the dunk attempt against Thomas Bryant, he clearly elbowed -- like, arm straight across my face. And I asked him for the explanation -- well, one of the refs said that he was straight up, hands straight in the air. Two of the refs said they were blocked and they didn't see it."

Lakers coach Darvin Ham was assessed his first technical foul of the season -- and just the third of his career -- with 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter for arguing the non-call against James.

sources told ESPN.

The Lakers' main point of contention is how LeBron James was officiated, according to sources.

t is believed that Harden's decision to be away from the team stemmed, at least partly, from his displeasure with the fact that the organization hasn't yet honored his request for a trade to the LA Clippers. Harden exercised his $35.6 million player option for this season and immediately requested that the team trade him.

The NBA's player participation policy allows teams and players an out for injury, personal reasons and "rare and unusual circumstances." A team could be fined $100,000 for a first offense, with increasing penalties thereafter.

The Sixers decided to keep Harden in Philadelphia after he returned to the team following 10 days away with what the team called "a personal matter."

"We are looking into the facts around James Harden's availability tonight to determine whether an approved reason exists for his lack of participation,

Thursday

investigating whether the Philadelphia 76ers and guard James Harden violated the league's new player participation policy for their opening night national television game against the Milwaukee Bucks

The NBA