Mavericks star Kyrie Irving left NBA fans split on Friday night as he interrupted a live pregame broadcast to make an unexpected request.
Paris Lawson and Royce Young were previewing the Thunder’s matchup at Dallas on FanDuel Sports Network, with the pair set up near the hoop that Irving and his teammates were warming up on.
And the point guard took it upon himself to get some extra space for his team as he asked Lawson and Young to move a bit live on air.
The pair obliged with Irving’s request to move forward – though they didn’t move much – before the player thanked them.
Young appeared to be annoyed with Irving’s interruption as he glared over his shoulder towards the basket.
The eight-time All-Star’s ask divided opinions among fans as some criticized him for stepping into the live shot.
Kyrie Irving asked Paris Lawson and Royce Young to move during a pregame segment
Young appeared to be irked by Irving’s interruption before Friday night’s game
Irving tallied 25 points points, five rebounds and five assists in a 106-98 win over OKC
‘Seriously? I have never seen a player interrupt a live broadcast like that,’ Thunder fan Jeremy Price, who posted the video, wrote on X.
‘What is even the point of Kyrie doing this? Seemed like he just wanted to be on camera,’ another said.
‘That’s so obnoxious,’ a third fan added.
However, others believed Irving had every right to ask Lawson and Young to move.
‘Shouldn’t be on the court, not even a little,’ one wrote.
‘Crazy how y’all are still trying to vilify Kyrie. He was being respectful,’ a second said.
Others pointed out how such requests have occurred before, including when Chris Paul asked a reporter to scooch over while he was playing on the Rockets.
Irving went on to have a strong game, scoring 25 points as Dallas notched a 106-98 win.
