Kyrie Irving has returned to the Brooklyn Nets after his absence from the team for the last seven games.

He practiced today and could play as early as Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

His former team, Kyrie, also met with the media today.

Let's hear what he had to say to them.

Happy to be back, happy around these guys addressed the team, addressed everybody that need to be addressed.

Now move on is, you know, pretty interesting in watching when you take a break from everything.

There's just so many assumptions about what's going on, and so many people feel like they know me best.

They have no idea who I am or what I'm about or what I stand for, even attempt to take the time, or even for me to invite them to take the time.

So it's a two way street, Um, and when things become overwhelming in life, you know, you just got to take a step back and realize what's important.

And I love to play.

That's never been questioned.

I've committed myself, you know, when this wasn't even a thing for me, you know I didn't really care about Media didn't really care about the Phantom.

All I cared about was just the ethics of the game and being taught the fundamentals.

And now that has become bigger and is more of a responsibility that I have in this position I'm in.

I'm grateful because I'm able to stand on this platform with others alongside of me that have sacrificed and are going through similar things.

So I'm not alone in this.

You know, that's just a big thing about also mental health, you know, just coming in and being balanced with yourself first and then being able to perform eso, you know, with everything going on the world politically, socially.

Like I said, it's hard to ignore.

I wanna make changes daily, you know, there so many oppressed community, so many things going on that are bigger than just a ball going in the rim s o for me.

I just like I said, it's just the balance of it, um, of knowing I could delegate my responsibilities off the court to people that I'm surrounded around that are for the fight and are fighting behind the scenes and in front in the lines and you know, Like I said, I'm not the only one that's fighting.

So I'm grateful toe unify with others.

And that's all I tried to do.

And on the court, the same way.

Just play with a smile.

Leave something that I've felt very dear to my heart with this game.

And then, you know, whatever my legacy is after that as a person, that that's all I really care about.

Kyrie Irvin, Where the hell have you been?

I got news for you, ladies and gentlemen, and I'm sure America would agree with me when I say this.

There's nothing that he said there that anybody should have a problem with.

Mental issues are very, very serious thing.

Mental health issues.

You need personal reasons to step away.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Why did you say so?

What was the problem?

There was absolutely, positively nothing wrong with what?

Kyrie Irving.

This just said there was nothing wrong with what he just explained.

The problem is you didn't think anybody was worthy of an explanation.

The Brooklyn Nets didn't know what was going on for days at a time.

Some of your teammates didn't know the public didn't know you're getting paid an exorbitant amount of dollars to play a game.

You swear you loved.

You didn't tell anybody.

And I know that fans can't co two games in this particular moment in time, you don't have the luxury to show up because of covert 19.

We get all of that.

But they're watching you on TV there, patronizing the MBA brand, which facilitates you, ultimately getting paid $2 that you get paid that explanation right there.

No one should have a problem with what Kyrie Irving just explained.

It's perfectly reasonable.

It's perfectly understandable.

Why did you say so?

Because you gave the impression people worry worthy off hearing an explanation.

You did it before the season began.

You did it at the beginning of the season.

You've done it on far too many occasions throughout your career.

People not knowing you people don't know you well enough.

Kyrie.

No disrespect, but most people in this world, not me, not your teammates.

Not the organization, not both in the NBA, but most people in the world don't care about your problem.

They don't care about your issues.

They care about what they want and what they want is what you swore you had to offer them, which was sensational basketball play.

So if you've got issues going on, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that Kevin Love Express them in the past, Paul George expressed them in the past.

Reason why no one had a problem with them was because they were honest enough to say so and not looking folks like they were pimps.

Just a lesson here, bro.

All you gotta do is talk.

You can be eloquent, you can express yourself.

People can appreciate where you're coming from and leave it be just like we're doing now.

We can't wait to see you put on the show.

You're capable of putting on just ball, just ball and everything else comes with and we'll accept it if you ball.

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