As the NBA preseason comes to an end the Brooklyn Nets seem to be finally figuring out their offensive schemes. In an interview with guard Kyrie Irving discusses how he supports his teammate Ben Simmons and his future.
NBA insider Nick Friedell of ESPN interviewed Irving, who explained how the team has been making sure that Simmons has the support he needs. Simmons has been a magnet for criticism over the past few seasons, and has missed court time in part due to mental health issues.
“This is an emotional time in our world,” Irving said. “People attack other people for what they believe in, their jobs, whatever it is. So harsh criticism is part of it, but what’s justified is how you respond. And how you deal with it…. The moment he wakes up and he realizes like, ‘That’s not actually my life. I have a loving, supportive system around me of people that care about me, and these are people that I can go to for honest answers.’
Irving continued by discussing his leadership:
“I think one of our greatest strengths as a human community is humanizing each other’s lives. He’s a human being so he’s going to respond his way. And he’s going to deal with things his way and we have to honor and respect that. That’s what people with integrity do. Not everyone lives by those same moral principles so yeah, as a leader, I feel like it’s my responsibility to protect him, but I also must understand he has to go through things on his own. And when he asks for help, just be there for him.”
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