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Kyrie Irving has returned to Nets practice after the birth of his son Wednesday.
The All-Star point guard and wife Marlene Wilkerson welcomed their second son earlier this week. Wilkerson, a YouTube influencer, had posted video in June 2021 featuring clips of her pregnancy journey and home birth of their first son.
“My wife is a warrior. I’m just going to say that,” Irving said. “Women are everything, especially after they give birth — even before they give birth — but after they give birth, you just want to give them their space to bond. I’ve just been playing caretaker at home. Cooking for her, making sure her feet are massaged, making sure I’m doing everything possible as a husband to make sure she’s taken care of.”
Irving played Monday in the preseason opener knowing there was a chance he’d be called away during the game against the 76ers. After Wilkerson delivered on Wednesday, he arrived late for the loss to the Heat on Thursday and watched from the baseline in street clothes. The Nets had Friday off and he practiced fully on Saturday.
“Blessed enough to be able to catch both my sons in the bathtub. Part-time doula, part-time mid-husband, making sure my family’s good,” Irving said. “I don’t take those moments for granted. Being able to catch my son, again, I’m honored. So natural birth, free birth, anybody doing it out there, guys, you’re my heart. Let’s make sure we stay to our ancient traditions, which is to catch babies. We’ve been doing it for hundreds, thousands of years, so honored to keep that legacy alive.”
Joe Harris was held out of practice to rest his sore foot, but coach Steve Nash said it was merely “just precaution.” Harris, whose 2021-22 season was cut short in November by an ankle injury that eventually needed two surgeries, is expected to travel on the upcoming road trip.
Asked if Harris would fly with the team, Nash said, “Yeah, I think so.”
The Nets play Wednesday at Milwaukee before closing out the preseason Friday at Minnesota. Nash couldn’t say whether Seth Curry, who is rehabbing from offseason ankle surgery, would travel with the team.
“I’m not sure if he’s going or not. But he’s progressing and he’s just got to keep building on it,” Nash said.
Nash added that T.J. Warren is “a ways away” as he recovers from a stress fracture in his left foot that has kept him out since December 2020.
Warren, who was signed in July, is not expected to be evaluated until next month.
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