It was just another Friday in February 2017 when the sports world collectively lost its mind. Kyrie Irving, then a superstar for the Cleveland Cavaliers, sat down for an episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast with teammates Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye. Most fans expected talk about the upcoming All-Star break or maybe some LeBron James locker room gossip.
Instead, Kyrie dropped a bomb that would follow him for the rest of his career.
"The Earth is flat," he said. He didn't just say it once. He tripled down. He talked about how "they" lie to us and how the educational system is basically a giant fabrication. Honestly, it was one of those moments where you had to check if you were reading a satirical headline. But he was dead serious. Or, at least, he sounded like it.
Why Kyrie Irving and the Flat Earth Theory Became a Cultural Flashpoint
The fallout was instant. Scientists were baffled. Teachers were furious. Even NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, a fellow Duke alum, had to answer questions about it, joking that Kyrie might have taken "different courses" than he did.
But for Kyrie, it wasn't just a random thought. It was a lifestyle choice at the time. He told ESPN he wanted people to "do their own research." That phrase—"do your own research"—became the calling card for a new era of internet skepticism.
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You’ve got to remember the context of 2017. The "fake news" era was hitting its stride. People were questioning everything. Kyrie wasn't just talking about geography; he was talking about the power of voice and the ability to challenge "truth."
The Apology That Took Over a Year to Arrive
Fast forward to October 2018. Kyrie is now in Boston, wearing a Celtics jersey. He’s standing on stage at the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit, and the vibe is totally different. He finally said it.
"I’m sorry," he told the crowd.
He specifically apologized to science teachers. Apparently, middle school teachers were coming up to him saying they had to completely redo their curriculum because kids wouldn't believe the Earth was a globe anymore. "Kyrie said it's flat, so it's flat," they’d tell their teachers.
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It was a wake-up call for him. He realized that when you have millions of followers, a "thought experiment" isn't just a conversation between friends. It's a directive to a generation of kids who see you as a hero.
He admitted he was "huge into conspiracies" at the time. We've all been there—clicking one YouTube link, then another, then suddenly it’s 3:00 AM and you’re convinced the moon landing was filmed in a basement in Nevada. Kyrie just happened to do his deep dive while being one of the most famous people on the planet.
Is Kyrie Irving Still a "Flat Earther" in 2026?
It’s been years since the original podcast aired. In 2026, Kyrie has matured a lot, mostly keeping his off-court opinions close to his chest while playing at a high level. But the "flat earth" tag is like a shadow. It never really leaves.
The reality is more nuanced than a "yes" or "no" answer. Kyrie eventually clarified that he wasn't necessarily a "Flat Earther" so much as he was a "question everything-er." He used the controversy as an "exploitation tactic" to show how quickly the media could create a frenzy.
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- The Intent: He wanted to spark a conversation about how we receive information.
- The Execution: He chose a scientifically proven fact as his hill to die on, which... wasn't great.
- The Result: A massive distrust in his "intellectualism" for years.
The impact on his brand was significant. Nike eventually dropped him (though that was related to later controversies), and his reputation became that of a "distraction" rather than just an elite point guard.
What We Can Learn From the Kyrie Saga
Honestly, the whole thing is a fascinating case study in the "rabbit hole" effect of social media algorithms. Kyrie lived with a business manager named Alex Jones (not that one, just a high school friend) in Boston, and reports suggest the two of them would spend long winters just binging YouTube videos.
When you isolate yourself and only feed on one type of content, your reality shifts.
If you're looking to navigate the world of online information without falling into the same traps Kyrie did, here are a few actionable steps to keep your feet on (the round) ground:
- Check the Source of the Source: Don't just watch the video; find out who made it and what their credentials are.
- Understand the Algorithm: Realize that YouTube and TikTok are designed to show you more of what you already believe. If you search for "flat earth," they won't show you "round earth" videos next. They'll show you "NASA is fake" videos.
- Talk to Experts, Not Just Influencers: A basketball player is an expert at a crossover, not astrophysics.
- Value Intellectual Humility: It's okay to say, "I don't know enough about this to have a public opinion."
Kyrie Irving eventually found peace by focusing on his game and his community work. He’s shown that you can bounce back from being a "meme" if you're willing to admit when you've let the rabbit hole get the best of you. The Earth is round, the sun is hot, and Kyrie Irving is still one of the most talented—and complicated—players the NBA has ever seen.