Kyrie Irving is making headlines again, this time for the latest hire to his personal team.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Thursday that the Brooklyn Nets star has hired Shetellia Riley Irving as his new agent. Riley Irving is believed to be the only black woman currently representing an active NBA player, Charania adds.
Riley Irving is Irving’s stepmother, having married Irving’s father, Drederick Irving, in 2004. According to her LinkedIn page, Riley Irving has also served as the vice president of ad sales for Black Entertainment Television (BET) since 2018.
After parting ways with his longtime agent Jeff Wechsler in 2019, the seven-time All-Star Irving was represented by Sam Permut of Roc Nation until last year. Irving has never been afraid to challenge the established order, as we have seen with his ongoing stance against the COVID-19 vaccine as well as with other very prominent episodes. His groundbreaking agent hire here continues on that trend as well.
Jan 15, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) stands for the anthem before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
