Kustok: ‘There’s been no issue with Kyrie Irving’

Responding the speculation that grew out of last week’s Jackie MacMullan story on Kyrie Irving, YES analyst Sarah told FOX Sports “there’s been no issues” with Kyrie Irving.

Speaking on FOX Sports 1’s “Net Gains,” Kustok noted that she has long had a front row seat with the Nets, and has spoken with Nets staff and Irving’s teammates in drawing her conclusions.

“I respect these questions —from what happened in Boston, what happened in Cleveland— but I’m there every day. I’m at practice. I sit through the open gym. You’re there at games. You talk to the teammates. You know the players, many of them you’ve known for many years ... and there’s been no issue,” said a fired-up Kustok.

Kustok noted that’s not to say things may develop later, but she’s seen no issues, no problems.

“That’s not to say —we’ve all been through the course of an NBA season, the highs and lows. You’re traveling with people. You’re with people. Things come up. Things happen — BUT ...”

Noting that she respects MacMullan “more than anyone on this planet,” Kustok said she doesn’t believe that the Nets “unspoken concerns” about Irving’s moodiness was the intended point of the story, that it got blown out of proportion.

“I think anytime a guy comes to a new situation,” Kustok continued, “He’s still relatively young in this situation —27 years— it’s a fresh slate, a fresh group. As Nick [Wright] said, it’s a different set of personalities on this Nets group which has embraced Kyrie and Kyrie has embraced them.

“He has a high level of compete. He is intense and he brings a whole new level of mentality of trying to win a championship to a group. I think that’s something that’s been very positive for this team.”

Always remember, Sarah Kustok played the game.