Is Kyrie Irving a Muslim? Details about All-NBA guard’s religious beliefs
News of his fasting in Ramadan had prompted fans to speculate if Kyrie Irving is indeed a Muslim.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (getty)
Kyrie Irving never ceases to make the headlines, either owing to his performances or to his off-court antics. The Mavericks guard has always been outspoken and is known to speak his mind. His religious gestures saw the all-NBA guard kneel before a game had initially sparked questions regarding Irving’s religious beliefs. Many fans were convinced that the star had converted to Islam in 2021. So exactly how much do we know of Kyrie Irving’s religious beliefs, and is he truly a Muslim?Â
Drafted in 2011 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Irving played for the Cavs until 2017. Later, he played for the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets and is currently a point guard for the Dallas Mavericks. The All-NBA guard had won his first-ever championship in 2016 with the Cavaliers.
Often considered a rather controversial figure, Irving had made the headlines for many other reasons over the years. On October 27, 2022, he shared a post that promoted a movie on social media, which sparked huge outrage on the internet. The content of the movie was said to contain anti-Semitic views, and Irving was shortly banned from the NBA.
Later, the guard had to apologize in an official statement where he said he had no intention of hurting other people’s religious beliefs. News of his fasting in Ramadan has also prompted fans to speculate if Kyrie Irving is indeed a Muslim. Here are the comprehensive details of the eight-time all-star’s religious beliefs.
Is Kyrie Irving a Muslim?
Yes, Kyrie Irving is a Muslim and reportedly converted to Islam in early 2021. Initial rumors of the news appeared when he made a kneeling gesture before a game that was identical to a practice of prayer in Islam. During the Arabic month of Ramadan, Irving was known to be fasting even while playing in the NBA.
Saum, or fasting, is a religious practice where Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dawn to dusk. Observing Saum while playing on the biggest stage of world basketball is no ordinary feat. And Irving has been doing so regularly despite appearing in the NBA games.
The eight-time all-star also shared posts with religious quotes on his social media handles. This further reinstates that Irving is indeed a Muslim. Although his previous religious beliefs are not widely known, Kyrie was considered a Christian prior to his conversion to Islam.
Kyrie Irving’s stance on his religious beliefs
Kyrie Irving himself had clarified his religious stance during a postgame conference, âAll praise is due to God, Allah. For me, in terms of my faith and what I believe in, being part of the Muslim community, being committed to Islam and also just being committed to all races and cultures, religions, just having an understanding and respect. I just want to put that as a foundation.â
The NBA is a place where basketball players come from divergent cultures and heritages. Like Kyrie Irving, Muslim players have dominated the sport even in the past, with glimmering names like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar serving as inspiration for generations of basketball players.
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