Nets player, Kyrie Irving has donated $22,000 to help a young student, Destiny Thompson, continue her education at Howard University. As is his custom, his charity was carried out quietly and without fanfare, with his camp declining to comment.
A young girl at my Alma mater, Howard University, needed $6000 to remain in school.
So she started a GoFundMe to raise the money.
Kyrie Irving donated $22,000 so she could continue her education.
Rooting for you Destiny! pic.twitter.com/gRmmpvglQs
— Chris Munn (@chrisxmunn) December 14, 2022
Destiny Thompson, a Civil Engineering major and Math minor from New Jersey, needed $6,000 to cover tuition at the historically black school in Washington, D.C., so she created a GoFundMe page.
Irving, a native of West Orange, New Jersey, went above and beyond by donating $22,000 on Monday.
“I cried just a lot of tears,” Thompson said in a video. “I’m at work, y’all. I don’t understand, like, I can’t really wrap my head around how like generous people can be. I am so thankful for everybody that shared it, everybody that had liked, commented and gave me encouraging words, and just kind of helped me keep going and essentially.
“I’m just so, so happy, and I’m so thankful. I never thought in a million years that anybody would give me anything, and I’m so super grateful. And I want to say thank you 1,000 times for blessing me like this Mr. Kyrie Irving. I really don’t know. I’m in shock still. I’m at work wiping down registers.”
Kyrie Irving
Irving’s generosity may win over some of his detractors after the free-thinking 30-year-old received widespread criticism for posting a link to an Amazon documentary that many deemed anti-Semitic.
The Brooklyn star posted a link to the 2018 film ‘Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America’, which is based on a 2015 book of the same name, which Rolling Stone called ‘venomously anti-Semitic.’
In the aftermath of the comments and the comments that followed, Kyrie Irving was suspended by Brooklyn and returned after eight games on November 20.
Nike cuts off Kyrie Irving
Nike terminated its contract with Irving after the Brooklyn Nets guard promoted an anti-Semitic film on social media, the latest fallout in a string of high-profile hate speech incidents. Seemed like Irving’s apology was not enough to keep his deal with Nike.
On November 4, Nike announced that it would end its relationship with him “effective immediately” and would not release his next signature shoe, the Kyrie 8.
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the company said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”
Since 2014, Nike has produced Irving’s popular signature sneaker line; his contract expires in October 2023.
Possible deal
Report has it that Puma and Adidas have reached out to Kyrie Irving about a potential sneaker deal.
“Kyrie Irving, last week, did draw the attention of New Balance as well as Puma and others,” said insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “I can tell you that last week, Irving and his representation did meet with independent sneaker owner SIA, and there’s no imminent decision on whether or not Irving and his team will sign with the company. But I’m told everybody is paying attention to the Nets point guard. Everybody’s reached out, and that’s including, I’m told, Adidas and others.”
Twitter reactions
He’s been dropping some $$$ on go fund me a lot this year. Really hope other celebrities pick up on this trend
— yo gabba (@yogabbathegreat) December 14, 2022
Think this is a great example of how people are multi faceted.
There are redeeming qualities in almost every human being.
— Chris Munn (@chrisxmunn) December 14, 2022
Education is the keys out of Poverty
— William (@William14345029) December 15, 2022
@netsdaily won’t tweet about this 😂
— DFams 📸⚖️ (@shotbydfams) December 15, 2022
This why kyrie the best
— Skepz (@Ayskepz) December 15, 2022
Like how did @KyrieIrving find out ? Yahweh thank you for blessing us and allowing us to be blessings to others
— ✈️💥🔥🔥”Smallz”🔥🔥 ⛽️💥 (@2_smallz) December 15, 2022
@NickFriedell are you seeing this? Or you only prefer it when it's bad news? You wount ask about this in a post game.
People have been made to believe Kyrie is the problem but people like you are despicable.
— Adrien (@Vrrsh33) December 15, 2022
nice
— JT 4 MVP (@tatum4mvp2021) December 15, 2022
Kyrie Irving donated $22,000 to Howard University student’s GoFundMe account 🙏
(h/t @chrisxmunn @NetsDaily ) pic.twitter.com/G01FHYOD67
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) December 15, 2022
Just let it go? Naw if you can disrespect somebody publicly you should be man enough to apologize PUBLICLY! It Shannon would have done that he would be fired that day. Kyrie Irving tweeted a link to a movie and lost millions! #gtfoh pic.twitter.com/2GBwtkHG7x
— Phillip Richardson (@BLACMALECEO) December 16, 2022
@KyrieIrving, do not take the deal with #puma or #addidas. You saw what they did to #Kanye. Create your own shoe line. #freedom
— Shak Rabbit (@ShakRabbit) December 16, 2022
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In the latest repercussion from a series of high-profile hate speech events, Nike has canceled its deal with Irving after the Brooklyn Nets player pushed an anti-Semitic video on social media.