Stephen A. Smith Wholeheartedly Apologizes to Kyrie Irving Over COVID-19 Controversies: “I Did Him Wrong”

Stephen A. Smith vows to ‘do better’ after past criticism of Kyrie Irving.

Stephen A. Smith Wholeheartedly Apologizes to Kyrie Irving Over COVID-19 Controversies: “I Did Him Wrong”

Kyrie Irving and Stephen A. Smith (Image via FirstSportz)

Kyrie Irving has been one of the best offensive guards in the NBA over the past decade. He is an elite scorer known for his crafty ball-handling skills and is widely regarded as the greatest dribbler of the basketball.

However, for all his talent and skills, his career has been riddled with controversies and injuries. Since entering the league as the number one pick in 2011, Irving has played more than 70 games in the regular season just three times in his career.

The nine-time All-Star has always been viewed as a complex and polarizing figure. He does not shy away from speaking his mind and is known for always having good intentions. When he was playing for the Brooklyn Nets, things got complicated during the pandemic when he refused to take the vaccine in 2021.

The whole anti-vaccine saga saw him receive criticism, particularly from Stephen A. Smith. The ESPN analyst called Irving “selfish” and questioned him for putting himself over his team and teammates. But after five years, Smith admitted he was wrong in the way he had judged Irving for his stance.

It (Covid vaccine) ain’t for everybody. And you think about how we were told it’s for everybody. And one of the few people that stood up publicly and was like, ‘Nah,’ was Kyrie Irving. That’s our fault. It turns out that, no matter what the truth is behind all of this, Kyrie Irving did nobody wrong. We did him wrong. I did him wrong. And for that, I’m sincerely sorry.

Stephen A. Smith on The Stephen A. Smith Show

Stephen A. Smith has always been a vocal figure. He has had several feuds over the years, including with LeBron James. However, his biggest beef in recent years was with Irving.

Smith has apologized to Irving for berating him in the past. However, his latest apology came after watching the recent Senate hearings involving former health official Dr. Anthony Fauci.

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Kyrie Irving’s stance cost the Brooklyn Nets

It was not just Irving who questioned the vaccine mandate. The likes of Novak Djokovic, Aaron Rodgers, Jonathan Isaac, Bradley Beal and several others refused to take the Covid-19 vaccine. But Smith did target Irving the most and hence believed that he wronged him.

After Irving refused to take the vaccine, he was forced to sit out for the majority of the 2021-22 campaign till the vaccine mandates were lifted. Due to his stance, he was restricted to just 29 appearances. While his decision did cost the Nets the season, Smith launched a barrage of attacks at the former champion.

Irving’s non-availability saw James Harden request a trade at the trade deadline that season. His exit took a big toll on the team as Kevin Durant held fort till Irving made his return.

The Nets finished in the Play-In spots and booked a first round clash against the Boston Celtics in the first round. The lack of team chemistry in the Nets was visible as they were clean-swept by Irving’s former team. The disappointing ending to the campaign saw Irving receive more criticism.

Will Dallas Mavericks part ways with Kyrie Irving?

After Kyrie Irving left the Cavs in 2017, he struggled to find his footing in his next two teams. He had a turbulent time in Boston and Brooklyn, but he seems to have found a home with the Dallas Mavericks. The Nets moved him after he requested a trade. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline in 2023 after a difficult three and a half season spell in Brooklyn.

Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving (Credits: MARCA)

Alongside Luka Doncic, he led the Mavs to the NBA Finals in 2024. While it looked like the duo was building something, it all came to an abrupt end when the Mavs traded away their franchise player to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline last year. To make matters worse, Irving suffered an ACL tear that forced him to miss the entire 2025-26 campaign.

The Mavs are looking to rebuild their team around Cooper Flagg. Hence, the big question for the franchise will be how long they will keep Irving. They may look to keep him for one more season, as he can help and guide Flagg and also show everyone that he can still play at a high level after his long-term injury.

However, his final season is a player option. If he declines it, he can walk away for nothing. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Irving.

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