Kyrie Irving gets clearance to practice, will still be unable to play games at Barclays Center

According to the latest reports, Kyrie Irving will be allowed to play with his teammates at the Brooklyn Nets’ practice facility, HSS Training Center. This is because New York City has deemed the training center to be a private office building.

The seven-time All-Star point guard has been unable to practice with the Nets ever since the team returned to Brooklyn from their training camp in California.

While Irving will be able to practice at HSS Training Center, City Hall officials have clarified that he will not be able to play games at the Barclays Center until he fulfills his vaccine requirement.

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Kyrie Irving had asked for privacy on his vaccination status

Kyrie Irving’s unavailability to the Brooklyn Nets stems from the fact that he hasn’t clarified his vaccination status. A mayoral executive order issued in August required New York City-area professional athletes to show proof of at least one approved COVID-19 vaccine shot to practice or play.

When asked about his vaccination status in an online session on media day (September 27), Irving responded:

“I like to keep that stuff private. I’m a human being first. Obviously living in this public sphere, there’s a lot of questions about what’s going on in the world of Kyrie, and I think I would love to keep that private and handle it the right way with my team and go forward together with a plan. Obviously I’m not able to be present there today, but that doesn’t mean I’m putting any limits on the future for me being able to join the team.”

There have been several critics of Kyrie Irvings’s unavailability to the Brooklyn Nets. Just yesterday, sports analyst Stephen A Smith implied that the Kyrie situation will have an impact on what teammate James Harden decides to do with his extension next year.

Smith said:

“Don't think for one second that James Harden likes the nonsense that's going on in Brooklyn... James Harden deserves better than the nonsense Kyrie Irving is putting this franchise through!”

Channing Frye, a member of the 2016 NBA championship-winning Cleveland Cavaliers, also took a dim view of his former teammate’s vaccine hesitancy. Speaking to NBA TV a few days ago, Frye said about Kyrie Irving:

“You can’t be halfway in on the team. You can’t come for dinner and then leave right before the bill comes… For me, you have got to be all in on the team. There are things that happen during the season, whether your knees, your back or there are injuries, you have to take time away for your health. But to not be able to practice, to not be on the bus, to not be in the rhythm of your team… when things get tough, you got to know that person and trust that person that they are going to go to the trenches with you.”