Nets star Kyrie Irving has reversed course after defiantly standing by his controversial promotion of a movie that propagates anti-Semitic tropes.
Irving and the Nets on Wednesday night announced separate donations of $500,000 to the Anti-Defamation League, in a joint statement released with the anti-hate group.
In the statement, Irving said he took "responsibility" for the "negative impact" his post had on the Jewish community, though he didn't explicitly offer an apology.
"I oppose all forms of hatred and oppression and stand strong with communities that are marginalized and impacted every day," Irving said. "I am aware of the negative impact of my post towards the Jewish community and I take responsibility. I do not believe everything said in the documentary was true or reflects my morals and principles. I am a human being learning from all walks of life and I intend to do so with an open mind and a willingness to listen. So from my family and I, we meant no harm to any one group, race or religion of people, and wish to only be a beacon of truth and light."
The statement comes a week after Irving posted a link to the movie's Amazon page on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
The posts earned a rebuke from Nets owner Joe Tsai, who said he was disappointed, though neither the NBA nor the Nets took action to fine or suspend Irving.
Over the weekend, days after the posts were published, Irving doubled down on the posts while butting heads with an ESPN reporter during a media session.
Irving denied that he was promoting the movie by merely linking to it, and he claimed that the reporter was trying to "dehumanize" him with the tough line of questioning.
The movie post came weeks after Irving published an old clip from controversial Infowars host Alex Jones, who was recently found liable for defaming the families of victims of the Sandy Hook massacre.
In addition to the donations, the Nets said they would continue to support and participate in Shine A Light, an initiative dedicated to spotlighting anti-Semitism. As well, the Nets and New York Liberty were planning to host a series of community conversations at Barclays Center, in partnership with the ADL, with the aim of ensuring awareness and education on bigotry of all forms.
"There is no room for anti-Semitism of, racism, false narratives or misguided attempts to create animosity and hate," said Sam Zussman, CEO of BSE Global, the parent company of the Nets and Barclays Center. "Now, more than ever, there is a pressing need to ensure education in these areas. We are putting our prior statements into practice because actions speak louder than words."
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