Apparently, Kyrie Irving’s conversation with New York media on Monday wasn’t enough for ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. On ESPN’s First Take, Smith was once again critical of Irving’s relationship with the media — calling out Kevin Durant in the process, as well. While Smith believes the Nets can contend for a title, he also thinks “disaster is in their wake” because of Brooklyn’s stars.
“Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are relatively sensitive dudes when it really, really comes to the media, some of the things the media may have to say and things of that nature,” Smith said. “And you choose the media capital of the world? In Brooklyn, it’s not just about basketball. It’s about the things you’re saying, it’s about the things you do, it’s how you project yourself — the imagery that comes with it. Putting yourself in this line of fire you — yeah, you’re going to get fined all the time and all of this stuff for calling the media pee-ons and stuff like that — you’re just asking for trouble, and you’re asking to be distracted. Neither of them have the patience to be distracted by anybody.”
Smith continued:
“And so when you do that, particularly in the media capital of the world, sure, that’s gonna put more of an onus of winning on your shoulders, but it’s gonna give people the license to further dissect every little thing you do,” he said. “As a result, you’re not going to have the level of peace and the freedom as Kevin Durant once said to just play ball, let us hoop. Folks are not going to give you that. And as a result, that’s where the recipe for disaster comes in. Because with Kyrie calling the media pee-ons and talking about how he’s not gonna talk to them. All right, they’re gonna talk to Durant, they’re gonna ask Durant about Kyrie, or to [Caris] LeVert, [Spencer] Dinwiddie and ask them about Kyrie. It’s gonna be a headache. That’s what I foresee. I hope I’m wrong.”
[sendtonews_embed video_id=”s02WHfSGYU-1071272-7498″]