Kyrie Irving pays tribute to Palestinian child killed in Gaza with major move

The Shabazz Center Commemorates Malcolm X
Kyrie Irving pays tribute to Palestinian child killed in Gaza with major move - Source: Getty

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving changed his Instagram profile picture to a photo of Yaqeen Hammad, an 11-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, as a sign of solidarity.

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Hammad was widely described as “Gaza’s youngest influencer” and was killed on May 23 in Deir al-Balah during an Israeli airstrike. She made a name for sharing her everyday life on Instagram.

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This isn’t Kyrie Irving's first act of solidarity. He has a track record of public gestures related to Palestine, where he has been filmed or photographed wearing a keffiyeh and Palestine-map/key jewelry.

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Kyrie Irving opens up about leaving LeBron James and Cavaliers

In a Twitch stream, Kyrie Irving said playing alongside LeBron James brought overwhelming expectations. He wished he could've chosen his next team and developed with his favorite players.

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“I would have loved to choose the franchise I wanted to go to," Irving said. "I would have loved to develop next to some of my favorite players… It’s not that I dislike playing with [LeBron] at any time. It was just literally my time to move on.”

LeBron James returned to Cleveland in 2014 from Miami. As a result, Irving shifted from being the Cavs’ lone star to part of a “Big 3” with James and Kevin Love. The guard had to adjust his game to less ball dominance and more off-ball scoring.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) and forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter in game four of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images - Source: Imagn
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) and forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter in game four of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images - Source: Imagn

Behind the scenes, Uncle Drew reportedly grew frustrated with the dynamics of playing under LeBron’s spotlight and the media narratives around being his “sidekick,” a tension that contributed to his 2017 trade request.

Irving has gone on to feature for the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and currently with the Dallas Mavericks. His season ended after he suffered a torn ACL on March 3 during a game against the Sacramento Kings. Before the injury, Irving appeared in 50 games and averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

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Edited by Krutik Jain
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