Kyrie Irving is not staying silent while his friend takes heat online. During a recent Twitch stream, the Mavericks star defended Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s been the target of relentless internet trolling in recent weeks. From memes to awkward clips and all kinds of mockery, the Knicks’ big man has faced it all, and Kyrie’s had enough.
KAT has been roasted across social media for everything from his on-court mannerisms to the way he speaks. Fans have called him “zesty,” accused him of acting “funny,” and posted clips of his reactions during games to fuel the jokes.
The trolling only intensified after the Knicks were knocked out of the playoffs, leading to even more memes and mockery. Kyrie addressed it directly on his stream. He told fans that if he sees any more reposts or jokes about KAT, he’s not going to let it go.
He said, “Y’all gotta stop making fun of my brother KAT. I’m done with y’all…It’s over for that, it’s a f------ wrap. I’m letting y’all know, if you repost that s--- again and you meme him up, I’m attacking you. Not like that physically.”
Irving is one of the calmest individuals in the league. It’s rare to see him lose his cool. During the stream, while he maintained a smile, he meant every word he said in KAT’s defence. While Irving admitted he finds it funny when KAT switches up his tone, he said that doesn’t change the fact that he’s going to back him. To him, KAT is like a brother, and he won’t stand by while people tear him down for things that don’t really matter.
Kyrie also brought up his own background. Being from Jersey, he knows how hard it is to grow up in that environment. “Y’all don’t know what it’s like to grow up in Jersey, have all of these cultures that you’re a part of, trust me on that,” he explained. That understanding is part of why he’s defending KAT so strongly.
“On a serious note, he’s a man, he’s my brother, and I protect him, all the time,” Kyrie added. He might not agree with everything KAT does, but he made one thing clear: if you go after his guy, he’s coming right back at you.
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