Sports
Kyrie Irving defends Karl-Anthony Towns and demands respect on social media. It’s no secret that social media can be a double-edged sword: it can lift you up and make you go viral in a positive way or it can drown you in a wave of hate, ridicule, and harassment. For public figures like athletes, this dynamic not only harms their image but also takes a toll on their mental health.
A recent example is Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been repeatedly mocked for his way of speaking, his accent, and even for switching tones in different interviews or streams. The ridicule has turned into viral memes on platforms like TikTok and X, where many accuse him of “changing his personality” depending on the context.
In response, his friend and fellow NBA player Kyrie Irving decided to speak up and defend him publicly during a live Twitch stream. His words didn’t go unnoticed:
“Leave KAT alone”: Kyrie Irving’s blunt message on Twitch
The Tush Push Is Safe for Another Season
“I’m done with y’all. Stop making fun of my brother KAT. It’s over for that. It’s a fucking wrap. I’m letting y’all know: if you repost that shit again or you meme him up, I’m attacking you.
Not like that physically in GTA, but I’m attacking you. All right? I’m attacking you.
Y’all gotta leave KAT alone, okay? Because y’all don’t know what it’s like to grow up in Jersey and have all of these cultures that you’re a part of trust me on that.
Jersey is literally 130 miles long. It is a very, very small state. But when I get back to my point, I’m gonna explain this to you. But I’m just saying: leave him alone. All right?
Leave our Jersey like… because he’s Dominican, he’s Black, he grew up in, you know, a certain area in Jersey just like me, and you gotta survive out here.
You have many different demographics of people so you gotta survive out here, all right?
Sometimes I don’t agree all the time when he be, you know, changing up his tone-sometimes I don’t always agree and all that. You know what I mean? That shit be funny. But on a serious note: he is a man, he’s my brother, and I protect him all the time.”
With these remarks, Irving made it clear that this goes far beyond a simple joke. While he acknowledges that some things can be funny, he draws the line when it comes to the dignity and respect of someone he considers a brother.
Towns has mentioned in past interviews that he’s had to learn to endure criticism both on and off the court. In a sport as competitive as basketball, one bad game is enough to draw backlash, no matter how solid your record might be. And in the public eye, those mistakes are magnified especially on social media.
Irving also put their shared upbringing in New Jersey into perspective a small state with rich cultural diversity. In his view, that kind of environment requires adaptability, and it often reflects in the way someone speaks or expresses themselves. Criticism that ignores that context ends up being unfair and harmful.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Fantasy football waiver wire pickups: NFL Week 6
Young tight ends are shining: A.J. Barner, Theo Johnson and Mason Taylor are three of the eight highest-scoring fantasy tight ends over the past two games, and all three are widely available. Another week of the 2025 NFL season is just about in the books. Here are the players you should be targeting in your fantasy football leagues, including options for smaller leagues and deeper leagues, as well as players to avoid. Jump to a position group: QB | RB | WR | TE QUARTERBACKS Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (Rostered in 44.1% of leagues on ESPN) League Size: 10 Time Frame: Short Term, Long Term While Sam Darnold and Tua Tagovailoa were the top-performing quarterbacks available on the waiver wire this week, we now have a five-game sample on both, and neither is averaging more than 17 fantasy points […]
NFL Week 5 Team of the Week: Rico Dowdle Fills In and Shines on Sunday
<!--> [--> Greg Auman NFL Reporter <!--> --> Each week, we’ll offer up the very best of the NFL for a given week, kind of like the fantasy football team you wished you had.We’ll pick one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers and a tight end – OK, this is sounding a lot like a super-hindsight fantasy football team – as a way to look back on the weekend that was.We have a familiar face that stood out at wide receiver, and another return performer at running back. Let's break it down.Pretty strong week for quarterbacks, with five guys throwing 3+ touchdowns without an interception. But the most compelling game was Mayfield, who finished 29-for-33 for 379 yards with two touchdowns, outdueling Seattle's Sam Darnold in a shootout in Seattle. Darnold led Seattle on five straight touchdown drives, including a […]
Why Baker Mayfield Should Be Early Frontrunner for 2025 NFL MVP Award
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rolling, and Baker Mayfield has a legitimate case to be considered a frontrunner for the NFL MVP trophy.The Buccaneers improved to 4-1 after a thrilling shootout with the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5. Mayfield outdueled Sam Darnold in a clash of 2018 NFL Draft top five quarterbacks. Mayfield finished with a career day passing the football. He had 379 passing yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-33 passing. He also rushed the football five times for 15 yards. Since arriving in Tampa Bay, Mayfield has completely turned his career around. The Buccaneers needed a quarterback to pivot off of Tom Brady retiring. Just a few seasons later, it’s Mayfield that has the Buccaneers looking like a serious contender in the NFC. Before the season, Mayfield was +2500 to win MVP on FanDuel Sportsbook. In just five […]
Tensions rise in the WNBA as Napheesa Collier, Caitlin Clark, and Cathy Engelbert clash over leadership
The WNBA has seen its fair share of disputes, but recent tensions between star forward Napheesa Collier and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert may represent a pivotal moment in the league's evolution. Collier, Vice President of the WNBPA Executive Committee, didn't hold back in her postseason exit interview, accusing Engelbert of tone-deaf leadership and alleging behind-the-scenes comments that have ignited league-wide controversy.Engelbert's alleged "be grateful" remark sparks outrageCollier claimed Engelbert had said Caitlin Clark should be "grateful" for earning millions in endorsements, crediting the WNBA for giving her a platform. If true, the comment would suggest a dismissive view of Clark's individual marketability and a broader lack of appreciation for the athletes driving the league's current success. Engelbert has denied making such a statement, calling Collier's claims inaccurate in a press conference before the WNBA Finals.What followed has only deepened the divide. […]