Several fans held up signs reading “I'm a Jew and I'm proud” during a Monday game between the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks, where guard Kyrie Irving plays.
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According to Rabbi Avremi Zippel, a prominent figure in Utah’s Jewish community and avid Utah Jazz fan, Irving, who does not hide his pro-Palestinian views, approached the home team's security and demanded the signs be removed, a request that was fulfilled.
"Kyrie saw the signs. At the 9:40 mark of the first quarter, he commented 'no need to bring that to a game.' At the next timeout he went to Mavs security. Jazz officials came over and CHECKED OUR TICKETS. We were told to put the signs away," Rabbi Zippel tweeted after the incident.
The Jewish community in Salt Lake City expressed outrage over the incident and shared a video on Twitter, tagging, among others, Mark Cuban, the Dallas owner, who is also Jewish.
The video shows a fan holding up the small, inconspicuous sign that reads, "I am a Jew and I’m proud." "So let me get this straight. @KyrieIrving can wear a Palestinian keffiyeh at a post game press conference, but Jewish people CAN'T go to a game and hold a sign that says I'm a proud Jew?! Case closed."
In the game itself, Utah beat Dallas 127-90, with Kyrie scoring 14 points for the losing side, alongside 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Luka Dončić led the Mavericks with 19 points and added 14 assists. Simone Fontecchio was the top scorer for the Jazz with 24 points in 29 minutes.
At the beginning of the last season, Irving, then playing for Brooklyn, was suspended after he posted an antisemitic video on his Instagram account, causing a significant uproar, sharp criticism and widespread protests. About a month later, he apologized and returned to play.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who is also Jewish, received extensive criticism for the league's handling of the incident. The two met, and Silver said, "I've known Kyrie for over a decade and never heard any antisemitic statements from him." However, Silver also said, "Whether Kyrie is antisemitic or not is irrelevant to the hateful content he promoted."