Anti-Vax Mandate Supporters to Rally Outside Barclays Before Nets Home Opener

The Brooklyn Nets tip off at their home opener Sunday at Barclays Center, but they’ll do so without their star point guard.

Kyrie Irving cannot play until he gets vaccinated against COVID-19, and he says he has no plans to do that. Some New Yorkers are coming to the player’s defense in an afternoon rally outside the arena.

It’s unclear how many supporters are expected to turnout for the 2 p.m. gathering, but organizers say they expect a sizeable crowd. Some of that group will include teachers who are against New York and its vaccine mandate.

Speaking on Instagram Live, Irving has said he loved basketball and isn’t going to retire.

“I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences here and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is,” Irving said. “That’s the role I play, but I never wanted to give up my passion, my love, my dream just over this mandate.”

Irving would have been able to practice with the Nets and play in road games outside New York. The Nets will pay him for those but he is giving up about half of his $35 million salary by missing the home games.

The Nets decided Irving wouldn’t play or practice with the team at all until he could be a full participant. He can’t play home games because of a New York City vaccination mandate.

“Obviously we would love to have Kyrie here, we respect it. We all love Ky. But as far as us, we have a job to do,” Irving’s teammate, James Harden, has said.

About 96% of NBA players have been vaccinated, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. That means that about 20, or less than one per team on average, are not. Anyone working games in proximity to players this season, from referees to stat-crew employees, must be vaccinated by league mandate.

The Nets are championship contenders and Irving said he didn’t want to miss the opportunity he has with them. General manager Sean Marks said the team would gladly welcome Irving back under the right circumstances, and Irving made clear he was going to play again.

“No, I’m not retiring and no I’m not going and leaving this game like this,” Irving said. “There’s still so much more work to do and there still so many other (youngsters) to inspire, because I know they want to be better than me.”

The Brooklyn Nets host the Charlotte Hornets at 4 p.m.