Kyrie Irving to Join Chris Paul in Leading the NBPA

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is the new vice president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). He became the vice president after Pau Gasol ended his three-year tenure.

“This was the right time for me to run for a leadership position in the NBPA,” Irving said as per an NBPA press release. “I have been an observer and a participant in union affairs for a while. But for the most part, I was off on the sidelines, supporting our Executive Committee as they made important decisions.

“At this point in my career, I wanted to join forces with those guys and take a bigger role outside of the basketball court and within our union. I want to help move the union forward with innovative ideas, not only on social issues but also with business ventures into a new space.”

Kyrie Irving to work with Chris Paul & Andre Iguodala

Irving joined former Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul, who is the president of NBPA. His other colleagues include Andre Iguodala (First Vice President), Anthony Tolliver (Secretary-Treasurer), Bismack Biyombo, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, CJ McCollum and Garrett Temple (Vice Presidents).

“Pau brought an invaluable perspective to the Executive Committee as both an international player and a highly respected league veteran,” Chris Paul said of former vice president Paul Gasol. “In the last three years, the NBPA has greatly expanded our resources for international players. I believe that is a direct effect of Pau. We are grateful to him for his service. We are thrilled to have Kyrie join us as the newest Vice President. Having a player of his caliber coupled with his off the court business acumen will help us to continue to strengthen the union as a whole and empower our individual voices as players.”