Emotional Shaquille O’Neal slams Kyrie Irving and says Brooklyn Nets star ‘doesn’t really care’

Shaquille O’Neal has given a brutal assessment of Kyrie Irving and his controversial tweet promoting a film based a book deemed ‘venomously anti-Semitic.

Four-time NBA champion O’Neal, 50, was speaking alongside Charles Barkley on TNT’s Tip-Off show about the controversy and believes Irving’s actions have been damaging to basketball.

Irving publicized the 2018 film ‘Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America’ on social media with a link to its Amazon page and speaking on Tuesday night, O’Neal said Irving ‘doesn’t really care what’s going on’.

Shaquille O’Neal has given a withering verdict on Kyrie Irving and his recent conduct 

Irving has been critcized for tweeting about a film based on a ‘venemously anti-Semitic’ book

The Brooklyn Nets star caught the attention for publicizing the 2018 film ‘Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America’ on social media with a link to its Amazon page

O’Neal continued: ‘I was one of the first guys on Twitter and when i realized the power it had, I knew I had to be very responsible.

I try to make people happy. My formula has always been the same  – 60 per cent to make you laugh, 30 per cent to inspire and 10 per cent whatever I’m selling. 

‘You have to be aware of what you are doing. You have to be conscious and I can tell he is not conscious – he doesn’t really care what’s going on.

‘But us, I know the game we love and used to promote, it brings people together. It hurts me sometimes when we have to sit up here and talk abut stuff that divides the game. We have got to answer for what this idiot has done.

‘I stand for equality of all people, I’ve always been like that. It doesn’t matter, your religion or where you’re from. That’s how I was raised.

‘I don’t want to sit up here and answer questions for what he’s done. It’s my job to make people happy.

‘I can’t answer for what he’s doing – it is obvious by his answers that he doesn’t really care.’ 

Irving stood his ground when a reporter quizzed him on his actions on Saturday evening 

Nets coach Steve Nash was fired on Tuesday due to his team’s awful 2-5 start to the season 

Both the NBA and Nets owner Joe Tsai released statement condemning Irving’s post, but he initially doubled down on his stance, following Brooklyn’s game on Saturday night.

During a testy exchange with a reporter in the postgame press conference Saturday, the 31-year-old said: ‘I’m not going to stand down on anything I believe in. I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone. I have a whole army around me.’ 

The Nets star did eventually delete the tweet Sunday following uproar and backlash. He was heckled by fans on Monday playing for the Nets – the supporters were wearing shirts saying ‘Fight anti-Semitism’.

Irving’s outrage is one of a number of issues facing the Nets at present. Coach Steve Nash was fired on Tuesday for their awful 2-5 start to the NBA season and suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka is linked with replacing him.

In September, Udoka received a year-long ban from the Celtics after allegations of an improper affair with a female club employee surfaced.