Adam Silver on Kyrie Irving: Disappointed he hasn't offered unqualified apology, will meet in person

NBA commissioner Adam Silver rarely makes big statements during the season, but recently had no choice to. Following some choice decisions from Kyrie Irving, he was forced to speak up.

Over the past year, Kyrie Irving has constantly found himself in headlines for his off-the-court actions. Last season, he refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine and willingly sat on the sidelines as a part-time player. Now, the All-Star guard has taken things a step further.

Earlier this week, the Brooklyn Nets star posted a link to an antisemitic movie on his Twitter account. Since then, the NBA and Nets organization have made statements saying that they don't back his decision.

Adam Silver recently released a personal statement regarding the matter. He is disappointed that Irving has not stepped up and apologized for his actions.

"Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material.

While we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation league to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize.

I will be meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss the situation."

Adam Silver and the NBA must come down hard on Kyrie Irving for his recent actions

Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets

The NBA has worked hard to build a reputation of being a global league and standing up for social justice issues. How they address this Kyrie Irving situation could un-do years of work from other stars who used their platform for good.

Another reason why Adam Silver must crack down on him is because other players have suffered harsh punishments for something similar in the past. Last season, Meyers Leonard was caught using an antisemitic slur while playing video games online. The Miami Heat eventually fined him $50,000, and he was later released. Since then, Leonard has not be signed to another team.

Players have every right to use their platform for things outside of basketball, but Irving has taken things too far. As a star-level player, kids around the world look up to him as one of their favorite athletes like this. While he might not realize it, when he does things like what he did this week, he is essentially telling his fans it's okay to spread hate.

Adam Silver has been known to cater to stars at times, but this is a situation that must be addressed with a proper punishment. It would be a terrible look for the league if he gets by with merely a slap on the wrist.