Watch: Kyrie Irving calls out NYC mayor during return vs. Nets

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving. John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Mavericks' Kyrie Irving calls out NYC mayor during return vs. Nets

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 2/7/24

Kyrie Irving had a successful return to the Barclays Center on Tuesday night, leading his Dallas Mavericks to a 119-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The eight-time All-Star guard had a game-high 36 points in his first game back in Brooklyn since being traded west exactly one year prior to Tuesday's contest.

Irving's three-plus season run with the Nets was highlighted by scandal after scandal, including an antisemitism-related suspension, a trade request and his refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

When he was asked about his recent increase in performance with the Mavericks by a courtside fan on Tuesday, the former Rookie of the Year referenced his longstanding clash with New York City mayor Eric Adams.

I asked @KyrieIrving why he didn’t play like this when he was in the @BrooklynNets ? He told me to thank @NYCMayor for that #netsworld pic.twitter.com/RtG33m7fUR
— Courtside Nets (@Courtsidenets) February 7, 2024

Through much of 2021 and 2022, Irving was one of the most notable and outspoken superstar athletes when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. The 31-year-old missed a number of home games during the 2021-22 season due to restrictions for unvaccinated people in New York City before some of them were lifted in March 2022.

In September that year, Irving partially blamed Adams' rules for getting in the way of a contract extension with the Nets, saying, "I gave up four years, 100-something million to be unvaccinated."

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