ESPN NBA insider Jackie MacMullan found herself in hot water this week after making some very controversial comments about Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving.
During a recent appearance on Ryen Russillo’s podcast, MacMullan conveyed a story about a conversation she and Irving had several years ago.
Here’s the audio of Jackie MacMullan’s story about her telling Kyrie that he’s an NBA owner’s property because they pay him millions pic.twitter.com/p1U5Euiz1n https://t.co/2JRfzrKKAy
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) January 14, 2021
“So I will tell you this, I was thinking of all the conversations I’ve had with Kyrie through the year,” she said.
“One of them I had, I don’t know, two years ago, we got into an argument about, you know, something. And he’s like, ‘Well there shouldn’t be an NBA draft. Players should be able to go wherever they want to go. We’re not, you know, someone’s property.’ And I’m like, yeah you are dude. That’s the way it works.”
Needless to say, Twitter was outraged. Some are now calling for MacMullan’s firing.
Oh man. I thought initially it was something that got lost in translation but this makes it sound much worse
— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) January 14, 2021
This is racist af.
— sandie (@sandiesideup) January 14, 2021
On the Russillo pod, Jackie MacMullan recalls a conversation with Kyrie Irving where he stated that there should be no NBA draft because players aren’t property, and MacMullan replies ‘yeah you are dude, that’s the way it works. that’s why you get paid all these millions.’
— Bmore Train Guy (@FreeMassTransit) January 14, 2021
Increasingly increasingly tired of white NBA writers I mean Jesus Christ https://t.co/l2EvWQ3kHS
— Johnny Vulture (@its_vulture) January 14, 2021
She needs to be relieved immediately for this. Jackie MacMullan has GOT TO GO https://t.co/4y31jG6rEX
— Coach Moses (@WordToMoses) January 14, 2021
Irving has missed the Nets’ last five games for what the team has described as ‘personal’ reasons. That said, the real reason for the 28-year-old’s absence is a matter of public record at this point.
Some speculated that Brooklyn’s acquisition of James Harden from the Houston Rockets this week might inspire Irving to come back, but he has since made it abundantly clear that it will not.
Who could’ve predicted that having a threesome with your brother could end so poorly. https://t.co/wifkDzyL6x
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 14, 2021
Regardless of what Irving ultimately decides to do, it will be interesting to see how ESPN chooses to deal with MacMullan. People are demanding her job. Will the Worldwide Leader in Sports give them what they want? Time will tell.
Related: Clippers Stop Speaking English To Confuse Opposing Players
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
