Kyrie Irving is one of the most talented people within the confines of a basketball court. The Brooklyn Nets point guard can do things with the ball few people can. He has ridiculous handles, he is an unbelievable finisher around the rim and he has a smooth jumper. It's hard to deny his talent.
Outside the lines, Irving's reputation isn't exactly all roses. He raised eyebrows when he said the world was flat. He believes in a conspiracy theory or two. He blatantly stepped all over the Boston Celtics' leprechaun logo last season, which is a big no-no in Beantown.
Most recently, Irving has made headlines for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine and follow New York City's vaccine mandates. The decision will forbid him from playing in home games at the Barclays Center and put a hole in his wallet.
How much will Kyrie's decision affect his net worth?
Early Life & High School
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Kyrie Andrew Irving was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to Drederick and Elizabeth Irving on March 23, 1992. Drederick Irving relocated his family down under to play professional hoops. They relocated to the United States when Kyrie was 2. He holds American and Australian citizenship.
Irving grew up in New Jersey and played the first half of his high school career at Montclair Kimberly Academy. He transferred to St. Patrick High School after his sophomore year, where he gained traction as one of the country's top players. He showed off his skills at the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic, where he won co-MVP with Harrison Barnes.
After a stellar prep career, the five-star recruit committed to play college basketball for head coach Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils.
College & NBA Career
Irving's time at Duke University was a blur. He was firing on all cylinders in his first eight games, averaging 17.4 points, 5.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He suffered a ligament injury in his right big toe in his ninth game that sidelined him for a majority of the season. He returned in time for the 2011 NCAA Tournament to lead the Blue Devils to the Sweet 16.
Irving left Duke after the season and went on to become the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft. He was the new face of the franchise in the first post-LeBron James era. His time as the Cavs poster boy lasted three seasons until the King returned in 2014.
Irving, James and Kevin Love led the Cleveland to three straight NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and later Kevin Durant captained the Warriors to two wins. However, Irving's dagger in Game 7 of the 2016 matchup will go down as one of the greatest shots in NBA history.
It's his crowning achievement among many:
— NBA champion (2016)
— 7x NBA All-Star
— NBA All-Star Game MVP (2014)
— All-NBA Second Team (2019)
— 2x All-NBA Third Team
— 50-40-90 club (2021)
— NBA Rookie of the Year Award (2012)
— NBA All-Rookie First Team (2012)
— NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2013)
Irving forced his way out of Cleveland to the Boston Celtics for two seasons. He joined forces with Durant on the Brooklyn Nets during free agency in 2019. The Nets loaded up on more offensive firepower when they traded for James Harden in January 2021, making them the undisputed favorites to win the NBA championship when they're healthy.
The professional basketball player has also had success on the international stage. He steered USA Basketball to a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and won MVP in the process. He added to his medal collection with another gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero.
NBA Contracts
Free agent Kyrie Irving is meeting with the Brooklyn Nets in New York on Sunday and both sides are motivated to move quickly toward reaching a 4-year, $141M deal, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2019
Entering his 11th NBA season, Irving has earned nearly $160 million in contracts. He's in the third year of his most lucrative contract— a four-year, $136 million deal he inked with Brooklyn as a free agent in 2019. However, the NBA player won't see full paycheck this season as of now.
He's Losing $16 Million By Refusing Vaccine
Nets announce Kyrie Irving is banned from team until he's vaccinated https://t.co/vyewciLzvf pic.twitter.com/Wo3nedVhTv
— New York Post (@nypost) October 12, 2021
Irving's refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine prohibits him from practicing and playing in Nets' home games thanks to New York City's mandate that requires anyone who enters an indoor gym to have at least the first dose.
He lobbied to participate as a part-time player, but Nets owner Sean Marks ruled against it and said Irving will lose his home-game paychecks. He won't lose any money for road games, although Marks' decision also applies for games at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.
As of now, the star point guard will forfeit roughly $16.4 million of his $35 million dollar salary, which comes out to about $381,000 per game.
Endorsement Deals
According to Forbes, Irving has sponsorship deals with Nike, Panini, Skullcandy and Pepsi. Irving's Nike shoes are among the most popular on the market. His viral Pepsi Max commercials where he posed as an old man named Uncle Drew spawned a 2018 film named after the character.
He reportedly earns $17 million annually from endorsements.
Kyrie Irving Net Worth
Kyrie Irving's net worth is an estimated $90 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. A fortune like that means he can afford to sit out a few games, but anyone who leaves $16 million on the table will regret it at some point.
Kyrie Irving has the rare honor of being one of the most talented and eccentric personalities in the National Basketball Association. The Nets are a surefire lock to go deep in the playoffs if he's on the floor. His bank account is a surefire lock to suffer if he's not.
