Nick Cannon says Nets are 'dehumanizing' Kyrie Irving with six-step list to rejoin team

close

Video

Fox News Flash top sports headlines for November 8

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on foxnews.1eye.us.

The Brooklyn Nets laid out a six-step plan for Kyrie Irving to return to the team after he was suspended for being unapologetic regarding a tweet of a link to an Amazon film that shared antisemitic disinformation. 

TV host, actor and comedian Nick Cannon didn’t like seeing what the Nets did, calling the process "dehumanizing" and even related it to slave practices.

Cannon compared what the Nets are doing to "buck breaking," which he explained to his co-host of "2 Hate or Not 2 Hate" Jonathan Greenblatt, who is the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, in a post to his Instagram.

"The slave masters would bring the buck, the one that gets out of line," Cannon explained. "So all the other slaves would see lash after lash [which] showed them the power to set an example. ‘This is what you must do to fall in line.’ 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON foxnews.1eye.us

Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on October 27, 2022, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.  (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

"So when we see the six things that Kyrie must do to get his job back, that’s dehumanizing."

Cannon added: "I can wholeheartedly say I know Kyrie Irving is not antisemitic."

KYRIE IRVING MEETS WITH NBA COMMISSIONER IN STEP TO RETURN TO NETS: REPORT

Irving has since apologized via social media, though the Nets didn’t believe it was enough. The six-step plan is below.

The Athletic revealed the six steps:

1. Issue an apology for posting a link to the movie on Oct. 27, condemn the harmful and false content and make clear that he does not have anti-Jewish beliefs.
2. Complete the anti-hate causes that Irving, the Nets and the Anti-Defamation League agreed upon in their joint release on Nov. 2, including a $500,000 donation toward causes and organizations that work to eradicate hate and intolerance in communities.
3. Complete sensitivity training created by the Nets.
4. Complete antisemitic/anti-hate training designed by the Nets.
5. Meet with representatives from the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish community leaders in Brooklyn.
6. After completing 1 through 5, meet with owner Joe Tsai and lead franchise officials and demonstrate the lessons learned and that the gravity of the harm caused in the situation is understood and provide assurances that this type of behavior will not be repeated.

NETS GIVE KYRIE IRVING TO-DO LIST HE MUST COMPLETE BEFORE RETURNING TO TEAM: REPORT

Nick Cannon on the red carpet. He defended Nets player Kyrie Irving after he tweeted out a link to an Amazon film that shared antisemitic disinformation.  (Jason Mendez/WireImage)

Irving also met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday in a "productive and understanding visit, paving the way for the Nets and their suspended star to work through his steps on a potential path forward," The Athletic reported.

GM Sean Marks doesn’t seem in a rush to bring Irving back until his steps are complete. 

"We’re going to give him some time," Marks said Friday. "It’s up to him. Again, his actions will speak louder than words, and if he wants to participate in that, we’ll see where it goes."

FILE - Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving speaks before the team's NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Cannon has been in the middle of an antisemitic controversy himself, as ViacomCBS ended their partnership with him after he called Black people the "true Hebrews" in 2020 on his podcast, "Cannon's Class" with hip hop figure Professor Griff. He later apologized.