New York (AFP) - Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has been fined $25,000 for swearing at a fan, the NBA said Thursday.
An NBA statement said Irving directed obscene language at a fan during the Nets' road trip loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
Irving, who played a pivotal role in helping the Cavaliers win the NBA Finals in 2016, responded after being heckled by a fan at courtside.
A Cavaliers fan appeared to taunt Irving with the remark "Kyrie, you need LeBron?", referring to Irving's former Cavs team-mate LeBron James.
Irving used an expletive when replying: "Got y'all a championship and you ...still ungrateful."
Irving has appeared in only a handful of games for the Nets this season after refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
That stance means he is ineligible for Nets home games, but the club has recently relaxed its policy and allowed Irving to take part in away games.
