Music superstar Nicki Minaj has publicly trolled sports analyst Stephen A. Smith following his recent apology to NBA guard Kyrie Irving. The apology, issued during an episode of "The Stephen A. Smith Show," addressed Smith’s vocal criticism of Irving in 2021 regarding the player's refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Upon seeing a clip of the apology shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Minaj reposted the video with a sharp message: "Is that a pair of balls I see?"
During his broadcast, Smith expressed a desire to clear the air, stating that there were several people to whom he owed apologies, with Irving at the top of his list. Reflecting on the past, Smith admitted that his previous assessment of the player was incorrect. "In my opinion, particularly hindsight-wise, it didn’t make him stubborn or selfish; it made him brave," Smith said. He further acknowledged that Irving had done nothing wrong, whereas he felt he had, adding that he needed to do better and take responsibility for his past stance.
Smith’s change of heart followed a recent Senate committee hearing where immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci was questioned regarding the origins of COVID-19. Smith noted that after observing the hearing, he reconsidered his perspective on the pandemic-era mandates. During the height of the pandemic, Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated resulted in him missing multiple home games for the Brooklyn Nets due to New York City's local mandates.
The apology has sparked broader conversations about the financial impact on the player. Former Democrat Vernon Jones has since voiced support for the Dallas Mavericks star, calling for the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets, the National Players Association, the City of New York, and Dr. Fauci to reimburse Irving for lost wages. Jones highlighted that Irving lost approximately $380,000 per game during that season, totaling over $11 million in docked pay. While public discourse surrounding the apology continues to grow, Kyrie Irving has yet to issue a personal statement on the matter.
