Dillon Brooks wanted to swap jerseys with Kyrie Irving following the Memphis Grizzlies’ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, but Irving chose not to partake in the swap portion.
Brooks and Irving briefly met on the court after Brooks had 9 points in his team’s 112-108 victory. Irving, who had his jersey in his hand, waited for a moment while Brooks took his jersey off. Kyrie then handed his jersey to Brooks and walked away before taking Brooks’ jersey.
Kyrie Irving really didn’t take Dillon Brooks’ jersey during the jersey swap
(: @NBA) pic.twitter.com/qF0EhJqjqQ
— JayOnSC (@JayOnSC) March 21, 2023
Since Irving was waiting with his jersey in his hand, you have to assume Brooks asked the star point guard ahead of time if he wanted to swap. For whatever reason, Irving did not want the souvenir from his opponent.
When asked about the awkward moment, Irving implied that he was unaware Brooks was trying to give him a jersey.
Mavericks' Kyrie Irving says it wasn't intentional that he didn't take Dillon Brooks' jersey in a post-game swap:
"I saw that after the game. I'll probably get it next time. Probably next time. Not this time. I was really onto the next thing, thought process-wise." pic.twitter.com/ItEYxyIeWi
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) March 21, 2023
“I saw that after the game. I’ll probably get it next time. Probably next time. Not this time. I was really onto the next thing, thought process-wise,” Irving said.
Brooks downplayed the snub. He told reporters he would sign Irving’s jersey himself and put it on his wall.
Irving and Brooks traded some trash talk during the game, but there was nothing that rose to the level we have seen with some of Brooks’ recent opponents. It certainly seemed like Irving snubbed Brooks intentionally, though we will probably never know why.
