Kyrie Irving sounds off in long, emotional Instagram post after Nets lose to Celtics

Kyrie Irving had a lot to say late Wednesday night.

The Celtics beat the Nets on Wednesday night in what was suppose to be Kyrie Irving’s first game back in Boston since he left the team as a free agent during the offseason. Irving, however, is currently sitting out with a shoulder injury and didn’t make the trip.

His presence was still very much felt in Boston, as fans posted “Coward” signs with Irving’s face on them around the arena and then had many boisterous anti-Kyrie chants during the game.

Boston won the game, thanks in large part to Kemba Walker’s 39 points. It was Walker’s first game back since he was taken off the floor on a stretcher after suffering a neck injury last week in Denver.

Shortly after the game Irving posted an extremely long, 325-word post on Instagram in which he called out fans, the NBA, the media, and the “circus” that surrounds it all.

Here’s what he wrote. It’s a lot:

It happens all the time and Tonight just shows how Sports/Entertainment will always be ignorant and obtrusive. It’s one big SHOW that means Very VERY little in the real world that most people live in because there are Actually things that matter going on within it. Like figuring out a life that means more to than A dam Ball going into ahoop, or learning how to grow up being in a fish bowl of a society based on your popularity level as a person, or even dealing with becoming the leader of your family after someone’s passing and not knowing how to deal with Life after it happens. Buttt, This Game of Sports entertainment matters more than someone’s mental health and well being right? Or the real life things that happen to people everyday but they still have to Perform for the NBA and its fans? Right? It’s all about doing it for the fans and organization that love you so much? Think again, It’s a GAME, and it’s promoted as a Fandom experience for ticket buyers and viewers at home, while defacing who people truly are as PEOPLE. Then spat out all over these media networks as valuable food for thought while they actually believe that their opinions hold weight to real cultural leaders that speak and act for change. One big Gimmick with Some smoke and mirrors! I’ll always be the one that takes the stand and speaks the truth every time though. A purposeful and spiritually led Life will always be bigger and more meaningful than any sports arena or any entertainment space. This GAME isn’t meant to be controlled and shown as a Drama, it’s meant to show the LOVE. Love for the Art is the Only damn thing that keeps the purist people in this Giant Sports/Entertainment Circus. Don’t fall for the Game that’s played in front of you as Entertainment, it’ll never be as serious dealing with LIFE.

Here’s the post:

There’s a lot to unpack there and I don’t think I have a enough degrees to make sense of it all and it’s late at night on the night before Thanksgiving.

But here’s my main takeaway from it – Kyrie has a lot on his mind and is apparently trying to work through some things. Here’s hoping he can.