Nets owner says disappointed in Irving's support of 'anti-Semitic' film

Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai said Friday he was "disappointed" that guard Kyrie Irving used social media to draw attention to a film based on a book "full of anti-Semitic disinformation."

Irving posted a tweet on Thursday that offered a link to the Amazon page for the 2018 film "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America".

"I'm disappointed that Kyrie appears to support a film based on a book full of anti-Semitic disinformation," Tsai tweeted on Friday.

"I want to sit down and make sure he understands this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is wrong to promote hate based on race, ethnicity or religion."

"This is bigger than basketball."

In addition to Tsai's Twitter post, the Nets issued a statement saying they "strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech."

Irving has shared controversial opinions before.

He was sidelined much of last season because of his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19, calling Covid vaccine mandates "one of the biggest violations of HUMAN RIGHTS in history".

He once caused a flap by suggesting he believes the Earth is flat, and in October he was criticized by NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for sharing a video from far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

© Agence France-Presse