Nets rally ‘round Kyrie Irving after ESPN contends team concerned about ‘mood swings’

It didn’t take long for the Nets —specifically Kenny Atkinson and several players— to respond to Jackie McMullan’s story about the team’s two new superstars, specifically that they had an “unspoken concern” about Kyrie Irving’s “infamous mood swings.”

“That is completely false” was Atkinson’s response. The coach added that he’s more moody than Irving. and called his experience coaching Irving, “excellent.” The only challenge Atkinson said he could think of is Irving’s belief that more is expected of him.

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Spencer Dinwiddie confirmed Atkinson’s point and told the media that he “can’t attest to things that happened in the past” but since Kyrie Irving has been in Brooklyn there haven’t been any “mood swings” or negative behavior that he’s witnessed.

DeAndre Jordan, Irving’s teammate on the gold medal-winning 2016 Olympic team, made fun of the story —and media interest in it — during a sarcastic retort.

“Kyrie’s a bad guy. He’s terrible. He’s moody,” Jordan deadpanned. “I don’t like to be around him. He’s horrible in the locker room. He’s a selfish player. I don’t like his haircut. I wear his shoes only because they’re comfortable and because he makes me. Is that good?”

Then, more seriously, the veteran center added, “If that’s the case then say I have mood-swings or Sean Marks has mood-swings or Kenny Atkinson has mood-swings. It’s not affecting our team.”

As to MacMullan’s report that Irving went into an unexplained funk while in China, Dinwiddie laughed. “Quite honestly, I think the head-scratching incident came from front office personnel on the Rockets,” said, alluding to Daryl Morey’s tweet that nearly ended the China trip.

Then, Dinwiddie added, “I would encourage whoever it is who has those strong feelings to just say whatever they need to say to Kyrie then. As players we haven’t experienced [it]. We’ve been cool.”

When he was asked about the report of the mood swing, Jordan noted that Irving was indeed upset when he and the Lakers Rajon Rondo collided in the Shanghai game, further aggravating his facial fracture.

Meanwhile, Durant responded to former NFL pro quarterback Donovan McNabb who suggested that KD should have stayed in Golden State.

As for Irving, he declined to speak with the media.

• Kyrie Irving’s volatility makes Nets officials ‘queasy’ - Greg Joyce - New York Post
• Nets blast ‘completely false’ Kyrie Irving report - Mollie Walker - New York Post
• Nets say Kyrie Irving’s mood swings make him human - Kristian Winfield - New York Daily News
• Nets reject report of Kyrie having mood swings - Brian Heyman - Newsday
• Nets defend Kyrie Irving, say talk of issues ‘completely untrue’ - Malika Andrews - ESPN
• Buy KD’s hands-off approach to Kyrie’s temperment? (Video) - ESPN
• Nets already dealing with Kyrie Irving mood swings: report - SNY
• Opinion: Why did the Nets start firestorm over Kyrie Irving’s behavior? - Jeff Zillgitt - USA Today