Reports dropped earlier today that said Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving is aggressively opposing the NBA’s return next month, and that he is leading a group of 200 other NBA players who share the same sentiments.

Howard Beck of the Bleacher Report called Irving the “driving force” behind the rumoured movement:

Whether the group is composed 200, 150, or less players, it will be alarming as it will equate to a good percentage of the league’s population.

Shams Charania of ESPN later tweeted about the other players who are likely part of the group:

Charania then followed it up with more updates on Irving, who seems to be more imposing than ever:

Well, brace yourselves, folks. This is starting to look like a really serious problem. We might need to pipe down our excitement for a bit.

America’s social unrest on race relations have escalated to an unprecedented level over the last few weeks, and several players (DeMar Derozan, Russell Westbrook, Trae Young, Jaylen Brown, etc.) have actively joined the protests across the country.

While no one is quite sure how it will truly affect the season’s upcoming return, it will be an added obstacle to the already pressing problem from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to Irving’s recent statements and him suddenly emerging as a spokesperson, many have expressed concerns on the varying aspects of the restart plan – the health risks, lack of freedom since they can be in a confined area for months, and the alleged limited information that they were given. Then, there’s also an issue about not being allowed to bring their families until after the first round of the playoffs.

The concerns on safety could be easily addressed as the NBA is a world-class corporation, and they are always on looking to ensure their players’ health are protected.

The disagreement on bringing family members or personal entourage is hopefully fixed right away. Let’s hope that the players will be able to realize that complying with such guidelines is for everyone’s safety, and that as competitors, such challenges are part of still having the opportunity to fight for a championship despite living in a pandemic-driven world.

As for living in a ‘bubble’ for an extended period, the league was able to clarify things this week: 14 of the 22 invited teams will be out of Disney’s resorts within 53 days.

Let’s stay tuned. We are sure to get more updates in the next coming week, be it for their health concerns or the social issues.