Kyrie Irving made it known well before the NBA resumed in the Orlando bubble that he wouldn’t be participating. With the social unrest going on across the country, he felt like the restart would detract from the movement, so he decided to turn his focus towards that.
But he is also recognizing his fellow professional ballers in the WNBA.
Irving committed $1.5 million to help WNBA players who sat out this season due to the coronavirus pandemic or justice reform like him, which will come through his new KAI Empowerment Initiative that launched on Monday.
“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” Irving said in a statement.
Irving received help from Natasha Cloud, who sat out from the season with the Washington Mystic, and Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd to learn what WNBA players were going through in deciding whether or not to play.
Players must provide a valid reason about why they decided to sit out this season, while also not being paid elsewhere to get help from Irving’s initiative. There will be a “financial literacy program” available as well.