The Detroit Pistons displayed a Hanukkah show on their jumbotron when Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving went to the free throw line in the fourth quarter on Sunday.
The deed appeared to be an effort to troll Irving in response to the recent antisemitic scandal that has enveloped him.
A spinning globe and the phrase “Happy Hanukkah” were displayed in the design.
Irving eventually led the Nets to win with 38 points and 7-for-8 free throw shooting, appearing unconcerned.
Despite mounting demands to apologize, Irving failed to denounce antisemitism after sharing an antisemitic movie on social media in November.
As a result, Irving received an eight-game suspension from the Nets, and Nike cut ties with him.
Irving subsequently admitted to having no hatred for Jews or anyone who claims to be Jewish to the local sports network SNY.
In addition to wanting to “set a higher example,” he claimed he was not anti-Semitic.
When Irving tweeted a link to an antisemitic film on Amazon, controversy broke out.
The NBA player first defended his since-deleted social media statements. He promoted antisemitic stereotypes about Jewish supremacy, downplayed the Holocaust, and asserted a worldwide Jewish conspiracy in the movie he posted, “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.”
Barnes & Noble in the United States stopped selling the book on which the film was based.
As a result, Irving received sympathy from members of the antisemitic Black Hebrew Israelite group, and Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, used the incident to criticize the Anti-Defamation League and demand that Jews repent of their role in the slave trade.
The Pistons' scoreboard put up graphics during last night's game against the Nets, aimed at Kyrie Irving.
It featured a spinning globe, followed by a Happy Hanukkah sign when Irving was shooting his free throws.
(📸: @RWoloshin, via @VinceGoodwill) pic.twitter.com/NAeb6xfqZM
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 19, 2022
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