CNN
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Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai says he thinks Nets star Kyrie Irving “has no belief in hating Jewish people.”
Tsai tweeted on Friday: “Clara and I met Kyrie and her family yesterday. We spent some quality time understanding each other and it’s clear to me that Kyrie has no belief in hating Jews or any other group.
“The Nets and Kyrie, together with the NBA and NBPA, are working constructively toward a process of forgiveness, healing and education.”
Tsai’s tweet refers to the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) where Irving is currently one of six vice presidents on the nine-person executive committee.
The Nets suspended Irving last week after doubling down on his decision to share an Amazon link to a documentary criticized as anti-Semitic by his millions of social media followers. The 30-year-old NBA star apologized on his Instagram after his suspension was announced.
Earlier in the week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he believed Irving was not anti-Semitic following a meeting between the two.
Silver, who is Jewish, told the New York Times that the two men had “a direct and frank conversation” at the league’s headquarters in New York.
“He’s someone I’ve known for a decade, and I’ve never heard an anti-Semitic word from him or, frankly, any hate directed at any group,” Silver said.
In a follow-up call with the newspaper, Silver added, “Whether or not he is anti-Semitic is irrelevant to the damage caused by the publication of hateful content.
Irving could return to NBA action as early as Sunday when the Nets take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
Silver said the Nets and the league will consult to decide when Irving can return from suspension.
In addition to the suspension, Irving must complete other steps to return to court.
Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks previously said Irving would have to take “a few steps and corrective measures” to get the star to join the team.
