When someone tried to catch Kyrie Irving off guard by presenting him with the idea of a “hall pass,” the NBA champion offered up an epic response sure to make his wife and kids proud.
The “hall pass” concept refers to a person involved in a romantic relationship who has given their partner a “pass” to cheat on them with someone else.
While walking off a basketball court on July 2, YouTuber All Or Nothing (AON) got the opportunity to ask Irving one question.
“[If] you had a hall pass with any celebrity, who would it be?” they asked.
Irving did not seem to be familiar with the concept and responded by asking, “A hall pass? What you mean?”
AON clarified, saying, “That means you can just mess with any celebrity you want to.”
Irving offered up a quick response without hesitation.
“Oh, nah. I love my wife, Marlene Wilkerson. Yo, shout out to my wife and my kids,” he said as he walked away.
Irving married Instagram model Marlene Golden Wilkerson in 2019 after meeting the year prior. The couple share two children: Kaire Irving, 3, and another son who was born in 2023. His name has not been revealed. Irving also has an 8-year-old daughter named Azurie Elizabeth from a previous relationship.
Irving’s refusal to take the bait sparked reactions across social media, with many criticizing the interviewer for suggesting a “hall pass” to a married father of three.
“Kyrie didn’t fall for that trap,” one person said.
“This is why media access is getting limited is bc of dumb mfs like this asking these disrespectful a— questions,” said another fan.
“Why would you ask that question, like you know Kyrie is built different,” another social media user wrote.
Irving’s response also did not allow anyone room to question whether he was fully committed to his family. While Irving has been relatively private about his personal life, he has expressed his love for his wife in several social media posts over the years.
“KALM energy. KALM presence.KALM in Love. My Ankh,” Irving captioned a photo of himself embracing Wilkerson on Aug. 9, 2021.
In 2023, he also shared photos of him and his daughter sitting courtside.
“The next Generation of A11Even. Princess Azurie,” the NBA star wrote.
Although there does not appear to be any issues on the home front, Irving is no stranger to controversy away from the basketball court.
In October 2022, Irving posted a link on Instagram to the 2018 film, “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.” The post sparked intense backlash, with Rolling Stone pointing out some of the themes in the film were widely characterized as anti-Semitic.
Irving, who played for the Brooklyn Nets at the time, was suspended for eight games. NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, released a statement suggesting that Irving was “reckless” when he made the decision to post the link to the documentary.
The Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks in February 2023. He experience a career renaissance during the 2023-24 season and helped the Mavs advance to the NBA Finals. But Dallas could not overcome the Boston Celtics in the championship round and went on to lose in just five games.
