Brooklyn Nets say NBA star Kyrie Irving must be vaccinated to play

The Brooklyn Nets announced that National Basketball Association star Kyrie Irving will not be able to train or play with the team until he is vaccinated against the coronavirus. New York City, where the team practices and plays, has imposed a vaccine mandate, requiring people entering stadiums, casinos and museums to be vaccinated. The team decided that Irving cannot play with them in games outside of the city, in addition to the 41 home games. He will lose about $380,000 per game that he does not play. Irving has not said why he has refused to take the vaccine. “Kyrie has made a personal choice and we respect his individual right to choose. Currently, the choice restricts his ability to be a full-time member of the team and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks said.