Kyrie Irving wears press jacket to honor Gaza journalists at NBA All-Star Game

Basketball Star Kyrie Irving Honours Media Workers in Gaza at NBA All-Star Game

Kyrie Irving, a player for the Dallas Mavericks, wore a shirt with the word “PRESS” during Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game to show support for journalists covering the conflict in Gaza. The tag on the shirt read: “Dedicated to our beloved journalists in Gaza showing the world the truth.”

According to reports, nearly 300 journalists and media workers have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 2023. This includes about 12 journalists per month, with 10 of those being Al Jazeera journalists. The Shireen.ps website has documented this toll, named after Shireen Abu Akleh, an Al Jazeera journalist who was killed by an Israeli sniper in the occupied West Bank in 2022.

The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that Israel has arrested over 90 Palestinian journalists since the start of the war. Foreign reporters have also been banned from entering Gaza, with the exception of tightly controlled tours organized by the Israeli military.

Irving’s support for Palestinians in Gaza is not new. In November 2024, he wore a chain with the Palestine flag during a pre-game interview, and last year, he attended a post-match news conference wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional cotton headdress worn in many parts of the Arab world.

Separately, LeBron James received backlash online after addressing fans in Israel. Irving’s teammate made comments that some interpreted as insensitive to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 72,000 deaths, including thousands of children. The United States-brokered ceasefire began in October, but attacks have continued, killing more than 600 Palestinians.

Source: Al Jazeera