Kyrie Irving is making sure WNBA players who sit out for Coronavirus or social justice still get a paycheck.
Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving pledged 1.5 million dollars to help WNBA players who sit out this season. The money is for players who sit-out due to coronavirus or social justice concerns.
Through the KAI empowerment initiative that he started Monday, Kyrie Irving will provide checks and financial literacy to WNBA Players.
The initiative was inspired after Irving talked with Natasha Cloud and Jewell Lloyd, players who are sitting out about conditions. Several WNBA players are sitting out this season due to the pandemic and social justice reform. However, in a league where the “top annual salary” is about $200 thousand, players don’t have the luxury of missing checks.
WNBA players have been more active than any other major sports league in the country in social justice reform. Maya Moore, an MVP- and one of the league’s best players sat out two entire seasons in protest of a man’s wrongful imprisonment. Through Moore’s and others’ efforts, Jonathan Irons was released from Jail this year.
If just one of the NBA’s top 25 stars chose to sit out in protest, the ramifications would be beyond measure. Yet, the men are ok with being walking billboards for crappy peace offerings in the form of meaningless gestures. Put as many messages in as many places as they can think of, and still, nothing has been done to incite change.
Kyrie Irving said that players should opt out this year to make a statement; he is recovering from surgery, so he can’t play anyway. Let’s see if he keeps that same energy next year when his team is amoung favorites to win a championship.
What do you guys think of Kyrie Irving pledging $1.5 million to WNBA players who choose to sit out? Should the money cover players sit out for other reasons than Coronavirus and social justice?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
