David Duke Jr. endorses Kyrie Irving, saying he shouldn’t be criticized for vaccine stance

David Duke Jr. became the latest Net teammate to endorse Kyrie Irving calling him a “great guy” and saying that he didn’t think the superstar guard “should be criticized at all” for his refusal to get vaccinated.

Duke shared his views on Irving during the “Club Ambition” podcast...

“I feel that all the hate he gets, all the scrutiny, like all the criticism is as if he is not a human being as well, you know what I mean like if your best friend says they don’t get vaccinated, you’re not going to go and call them everything in the book cause they don’t wanna get vaccinated,” Duke told the podcast which is based in Providence where he played college ball before joining the Nets last year.

”Like cause just he won’t, that’s crazy, just cause he don’t wanna get the vaccine or he wants to stand on a belief, I don’t believe he should be criticized at all. I love Ky, he’s one of the best human beings and just that I know, he stands on what he believes in and super like humble, he’s very welcoming, he’s a nice dude, like I don’t have any complaints about him.”

Irving, of course, refused to get the shot last season in the face of a New York City mandate, limiting his availability to 29 games. Sean Marks said in a post-season press conference that the Nets needed players who were “available” and “selfless” which in turn led to a faceoff over Irving’s extension. Now, after he opted in to the final year of his deal at $36.5 million. there are rumors that he is on the trading block.

The two-hour interview also included Duke comments on everything from meeting Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden to how the NBA is a business.