NEW YORK _ Kyrie Irving responded to an ESPN article that highlighted his "infamous mood swings" after the Nets' 118-108 loss to the Pacers on Wednesday.
"Who cares what ESPN says or what anyone says?" Irving said. "That's gonna come with being one of the top players. History has shown you can be the best teammate ever and someone's still gonna say something negative about what you're doing and how you approach your life.
"I kind of expect that at this point, for everybody to say things," he continued. "I'm gonna keep on smiling and doing me. I'm happy where I am and that comes with it I guess. They try to tear down some of the most peaceful people in the world, still to this day, so it's gonna happen."
Irving was then asked if he wanted to change the perception others had of him.
"That's another route of human struggle is worrying about other people's perceptions of who you are," he said. "Why would you ever care about that, you know? I think I fell victim to that in my past, of worrying about things that I can't control.
"Human beings have mood swings," he continued. "It's OK to be human. I don't have to be perfect for anyone here, nor do I have to be perfect for the public. So I'm not here to dispel any perception, I'm just here to be myself."
