Former NBA player Stephen Jackson has revealed Brooklyn Nets star guard Kyrie Irving bought a house for the family of George Floyd – the Black man who passed away after a Minneapolis cop was filmed kneeling on his neck for several minutes despite pleading that he could not breathe.
Floyd’s May 25 death sparked historic nationwide protests against police use of excessive force especially against Blacks and other people of color as well as systemic racism in the United States, with people demanding swift reform. The protests also spread globally.
Speaking on The Rematch podcast, Jackson, who was friends with Floyd and referred to him as his “twin” due to their striking resemblance, reflected on the massive support Floyd’s family and his daughter, Gianna, have received since his passing. He also highlighted some celebrities who have so far extended a helping hand and made mention of Irving’s generous gift.
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“She’s [Gianna Floyd] getting so much love—not just from us, but from people all around the world who are showing support. I’m just continuing to do what I said I was going to do; I said I was going to be my brother’s keeper and take care of his daughter and make sure that her next days are her best days. A lot of my friends [have helped]. Kyrie Irving bought them a house. Lil Wayne’s manager bought them a Mercedes Benz. Barbra Streisand gave them stock in Disney,” Jackson said, per Bleacher Report.
“I think God has definitely blessed her. I think she’s doing the best she’s ever done; she’s happy. We’re just waiting for this trial to get out of the way, so she doesn’t have to keep reliving the situation and she can go about living her life.”
Irving, 28, reportedly gave the Floyd family the funds to purchase the home around five or six months ago, sources told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, according to ESPN. This gesture adds to a string of other philanthropic efforts the NBA champion has earmarked.
In July, he set aside $1.5 million to support WNBA players who opted not to play the rest of the 2020 season in the bubble – be it as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or to pursue social justice endeavors. On December 10, he also paid off the tuition of nine graduating students at Lincoln University, an HBCU in Pennsylvania.
Irving also donated $323,000 to Feeding America to help provide meals to people impacted by COVID-19 and partnered with City Harvest to donate 250,000 meals across the New York area to help marginalized communities get food.
