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Kyrie Irving And Kevin Durant Have Been Secretly Boycotting The National Anthem Since The Capitol Building Riots

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August 21, 2016 - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - Kevin Durant (R) of the USA gives a high five to teammate Kyrie Irving as DeMarcus Cousins (C) looks on during the Basketball Men's Gold Medal Game between Serbia and the USA during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Carioca Arena 1 in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 21 August 2016. (Photo by Friso Gentsch/DPA/ZUMA Press/Icon Sportswire) ****NO AGENTS----NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA SALES ONLY----NO AGENTS----NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA SALES ONLY****

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been making a subtle statement by boycotting The National Anthem all season, according to a new report.

If you remember, Kyrie took a long, unexpected leave of absence following the Capitol Building riots earlier in the year.

When he returned, it appears that Kevin Durant joined him in boycotting The National Anthem all the way through the end of the Nets’ postseason exit.

Matt Sullivan of GQ revealed the sneaky boycott in his latest piece.

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“After he returned to the court in January, Kyrie Irving began slipping out of pre-game warmups 10 minutes before tipoff, disappearing into the shadowy tunnel of an arena — and skipping the national anthem,” Sullivan wrote. “Kevin Durant would silently follow about a minute after Irving, as the cameras cut to commercial and the lights went down.”

Sullivan also had evidence that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant would return to the tunnel minutes before the Anthem every game.

Kyrie and Kevin Durant didn’t make it a whole thing that they were boycotting the National Anthem. They just continued to subtly not take part in the song all season long.

Irving has been outspoken about injustice and systemic racism in the past, and I guess he just saw this as an opportunity to put his money where his mouth is.

Low key, I have no problem with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving going about their protest their own way all season long. Take this as you will, though …


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