Kyrie commits $1.5M to help pay WNBA players

Last month, Kyrie Irving advocated for NBA players to opt out of the league bubble in Florida. Now, the Nets guard is willing to compensate WNBA players who share his feelings.

Irving, who previously led a conference call of more than 80 players that expressed the belief the NBA season shouldn’t restart because it would distract from the nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, is committing $1.5 million to WNBA players who choose to skip the season — forfeiting their salaries — due to social justice motivations and/or caution regarding COVID-19.

The money will come from the KAI Empowerment Initiative, which was launched by Irving on Monday, and will also provide players with a financial literacy program.

“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” Irving said in a statement.

Irving had been inspired by conversations with WNBA players such as Natasha Cloud — who opted out of the season being played at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. — and Jewell Loyd, who connected the Nets star with several other women, who also voiced their concerns regarding playing. In order to be eligible for payment from Irving’s initiative, WNBA players — who earned an average of roughly $116,000 last season — cannot receive salary from another source.

Irving, who signed a four-year, $142 million contract with Brooklyn last summer, is currently not with the Nets, as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

➤ Jamal Crawford, who has not played in an NBA game in nearly 16 months, did not play in the Nets’ final scrimmage Monday against the Jazz. Crawford signed with the team on July 9, but did not play in any of the team’s three scrimmages in Orlando. Donta Hall, who first practiced with the Nets three days earlier, also did not play.

Interim head coach Jacque Vaughn anticipated Crawford has a greater chance to appear in Friday’s restart to the season — against the Magic — than the 22-year-old big man.

“Jamal is definitely ahead just because he’s played over 1,300 games in his career,” Vaughn said. “He’s a guy that understands his body, understands the different flows of the game and how he can impact the game. ”