Kyrie Irving’s apology raises fairness questions for COVID-era stars

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While Covid vaccines were considered as a blessing, some athletes were not very keen on the idea. NBA star Kyrie Irving is one of the athletes who constantly were criticized by the media for rejecting the vaccines. But he is not the only one who went through this situation. After 6 years of the pandemic, the NBA star got his apology, but there are other athletes who deserve the same apology. 

Kyrie Irving finally gets his apology

In 2021, during his time with the Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving chose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. He framed the decision as a matter of personal choice and bodily autonomy. “I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences here and if it means that I’m judged and demonized for that, that’s just what it is. That’s the role I play, but I never wanted to give up my passion, my love, my dream just over this mandate,” Kyrie Irving then said in his Instagram live. 

Irving’s stance made him one of the most polarizing athletes of the COVID era. Much of the sports media portrayed the decision as selfish, reckless, or damaging to his teammates and the franchise’s title hopes. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was among the loudest critics. “I've been covering the NBA now for almost 25 years, Smith said. I mean, this is some of the stupidest nonsense I've ever seen. Just flat-out stupid.” 

Nearly five years later, in late July 2026, Stephen A. Smith issued a lengthy public apology. Triggered by watching Dr. Anthony Fauci’s congressional testimony. “There’s several people that we all owe apologies to, and I’ll put myself at the front of the list, but none more so than the apology that I owe to Kyrie Irving,” Smith said. “The reality is, is that Kyrie Irving, no matter what we think, may have been more right than we have given him credit for and unquestionably was more vilified than he deserved. And ladies and gentlemen, it starts with me.”

Kyrie Irving got his apology but there are other athletes who were treated unfairly for this same issue and deserve the apology. 

4 stars ignored as Kyrie Irving’s apology exposes a double standard

In the covid era, Kyrie Irving shared the same tone as other athletes who prioritized practising individual freedom rejecting the vaccine which also brought them heavy criticism especially by the media. 

Novak Djokovic became the face of the vaccine debate in tennis. He consistently said he was not anti-vaccine but opposed forced vaccination to travel or compete. Australia canceled his visa and deported him before the 2022 Australian Open; U.S. travel rules later kept him out of several tournaments. Coverage frequently labeled him an “anti-vaxxer” or villain. The episode cost him prize money and potentially major titles.

Tyler Bertuzzi, then with the Detroit Red Wings, was one of the NHL’s few unvaccinated players and eventually the only one. As a Canadian, border rules prevented him from playing games in his home country during the 2021-22 season, costing him roughly half a million dollars in salary. The media described the choice as short-sighted and selfish.

Cole Beasley, the former Buffalo Bills receiver, was among the NFL’s most outspoken critics of vaccine-related policies. He faced stricter daily testing, masking, travel limits, and quarantine rules than vaccinated teammates. Outlets regularly criticized him for “sending the wrong message.” No formal mandate existed, yet the practical pressure was intense.

Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic publicly defended individual choice and natural immunity after recovering from Covid himself. He was labeled anti-science and accused of amplifying right-wing views; one high-profile story claimed his decision stemmed from watching Trump press conferences. Playing in Florida spared him the game bans Irving faced, but the media vitriol remained.

For Irving, the apology offers a measure of reputational recalibration. For Djokovic, Bertuzzi, Beasley, and Isaac, the precedent is double-edged. It demonstrates that media reassessment is possible, which could increase pressure for similar statements.

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