It’s a secret of polichinelle in the NBA, the relationship between Steve Nash and the players of the Nets is not excellent, the proof with the ultimatum posed by KD to its leaders. And according to the indiscretions of a former player, these tensions would have started with a scandalous remark from Kyrie Irving to his coach during a party.
The Nets’ 2021-2022 season will no doubt be remembered as a pattern of dysfunction on every level. On paper, Brooklyn had absolutely everything to walk the league, with a trio Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and incredibly talented and driven James Harden. And then the point guard refused to be vaccinated, missing all home games for two thirds of the exercise.
Following KD’s knee injury, James Harden therefore found himself very alone on the field, with teammates not necessarily talented enough to make him have fun, and he asked to leave the franchise to join Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. Following this accumulation of glitches, the season might only end with a sweep, suffered once morest the Celtics, future finalists.
Kyrie Irving talks regarding Kobe and destroying Steve Nash
And according to the indiscretions of Olden Polynice, former NBA player, in the podcast “The Odd Couple”, the descent into hell of the Nets would have started from a particularly insulting remark of Kyrie Irving to his trainer at a party. It is obviously impossible to know if this anecdote is true or not, but if it is, we can understand the bad atmosphere in the locker room.
One of the reasons why there is tension between Steve Nash and Kyrie Irving is that the point guard allegedly made a disparaging remark at a party at the coach’s house. In front of the whole team, he would have said to Steve Nash: “You have to return these MVP trophies to Kobe, you know that you did not deserve them. From what I know, that marked the beginning of the end for the Nets.
It’s no secret that Kyrie Irving is a follower of Kobe Bryant, a player he idolized as a child and from whom he found a mentor when he arrived in the league. It is therefore not a surprise to learn that he is one of those who believe that Steve Nash “stole” the MVP titles from the Mamba. But if thinking it is one thing, saying it in front of the whole group is another.
Even under cover of humour, such a remark, if it was really pronounced, must have greatly undermined the respect of the group towards this coach who is starting out in the profession. The question now is whether they will be able to work together once more, trust each other, respect each other, and pull in the same direction to win the long-awaited title in the Big Apple.
There are a lot of rumors floating around regarding Kyrie Irving, and of course not all of them are true. Let’s hope that one is fake too, because if he actually said those words, it’ll be hard for the Nets to work in peace. Such disrespect for a coach leaves traces.
