Kyrie Irving stepped up in a huge way for WNBA players. Irving said it will be relief for WNBA players that opted-out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns could receive financial support.
Kyrie Irving announced the launch of his KAI Empowerment Initiative. It will give WNBA players who are sitting out the season due to personal, professional, health, or safety-related reasons. Irving fully funds the $1.5 million initiative.
Irving had this to say about the initiative, ” 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.”
The initiative has four general requirements:
- Must be an active WNBA player, who has opted out of the season.
- Must share insight into the season they opted out.
- Cannot receive any salary support from any other organization.
- Any medical opt must be related to COVID-19
Irving came up with this Initiative after talking to WNBA players Natasha Cloud and Jewell Loyd. Cloud and Lloyd put Irving in touch with other WNBA players. Who told him everything thing they had to consider either playing or opting out for the season.
Irving also added. ” with the help of Natasha Cloud and Jewell Loyd, i have connected with several WNBA players who have decided to play and those who decided not to play. In these conversations, I have learned about the challenge and opportunities of their decisions and how it will impact their lives, family, and overall well being.”
Irving is currently on the Brooklyn Nets but will not play in the NBA bubble as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery. The Nets star is the Vice President of the Players Association.
12 WNBA players opted out of the season. It remains to be seen if they will apply for the KAI program. Also, in the Initiative, it will give all WNBA players access to a comprehensive financial literacy program.
It is nice to see an NBA player step and help out WNBA players. We should not be too surprised it was Irving. His mentor was Kobe Bryant, and Bryant was a big supporter of the WNBA. Irving is a good dude but gets a bad rap for some of the stuff he says, and the media runs with it.
