NEW YORK -- Kyrie Irving has never been shy about expressing his opinions on controversial subjects -- and now that extends to Major League Baseball and its home run record, too.
The Nets’ star grew up a Yankees fan is rooting for Aaron Judge as the slugger looks to surpass Roger Maris’ American League record of 61 home runs beginning Friday in The Bronx. Irving, who is famously unvaccinated against COVID-19 and played only 29 games last season as a result, said he supports all sports being “clean.”
“I am very opinionated but in terms of that I can’t speak confidently on it, man,” the West Orange native and ex-St. Patrick school star said Thursday at Nets’ training camp when asked his opinion on the clean home run record vs. the steroids record. “I don’t know too much about it. I just wanna keep every game, every industry clean and that’s what I stand for.”
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Judge hit his record-tying 61st home run in Wednesday’s 8-3 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto. Roger Maris Jr. attended the game and hugged Judge’s mother, Patty, after the momentous homer.
“I think it means a lot not just for me, I think it means a lot for a lot of people, that he’s clean, he’s a Yankee, he plays the game the right way,” Maris Jr. said. “He gives people a chance to look at somebody who should be revered for hitting 62 home runs being the actual single-season home run champ, and not just in the American League. He should be revered for being the actual single-season home run champ. That’s really who he is if he hits 62.
“And I think that’s what needs to happen. I think baseball needs to look at the records and baseball should do something.”
Maris’ record of 61 established in 1961 broke Babe Ruth’s MLB record of 60 set in 1927. In 1998, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both shattered Maris’ record, while Barry Bonds went on to set the all-time single-season record of 73 in 2001. Bonds finished as MLB’s all-time leader with 762 homers. All three players were part of the steroid era (and remain out of the Hall of Fame), while Judge has played in an era of drug-testing and is widely perceived as being “clean.”
“I mean, the guy’s special, the guy’s special,” Irving said. “It’s not too often that you get a chance to see it up close and when you do, you want to appreciate it. And what he’s doing, I just wish him the best. I don’t want to jinx him or anything, I want to send him great energy, make sure he continues it up and put on for the city.”
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Irving said he met Judge once in Miami and has rooted for him.
“I think I met Aaron one time down in Miami passing when I was doing some rehab with Giancarlo Stanton and God rest his soul, Jose Fernandez,” he said. “So good, team-spirited guy and always keeps his priorities first.”
Irving appreciates the hours that Judge has put in behind the scenes to perfect his craft as a modern-day Ruthian figure.
“A lot of unseen hours that frankly no one gets to see often or sometimes appreciate it,” he said. “As an artist or an athlete, whatever you want to call me, I definitely can feel for guys when they’re hitting their highs or they’re hitting their lows. You just gotta be able to stay balanced, stay grounded and you’ll be OK.”
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
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