Because of his refusal to get vaccinated, Irving was once excluded from the Nets' big list. But in mid-December, the Nets issued an announcement accepting Irving as a part-time player for the team's away games. As soon as the news came out, O'Neill stood up and took the lead in opposing it.
Shaquille O'Neal was one of Irving's biggest critics because of his constant demands that the Nets trade Irving. Because Irving is reluctant to make sacrifices for the team while the rest of the team is trying to win this year's NBA championship.
"It's all about sacrifice. How can you have a championship team when one of your main players doesn't want to sacrifice? ”
After the Nets announced that they would allow Irving to play in away games, O'Neal scolded the Nets management.
"They panicked for no reason. They sound like the 7th-ranked team in the league. Fools, you don't need Owen. ”
Now, with Irving's imminent return, O'Neill hasn't stopped criticizing Owen. He wrote on Instagram: "After Irving found a way to play in the NBA without vaccination. And shared Michael Jordan's crying and laughing memes on Instagram to mock Owen's return.
Liked or disliked by O'Neal, Irving's addition was a major boost to the Nets, even if it was only in the road game. Irving is an amazing talent who can offer a lot of options for the team. After missing the first two months of play, Irving will make a comeback in an away game against the Pacers. Let's see how long it will take him to find his own rhythm, which will be interesting.