It’s not the first time that an NBA player has publicly demonstrated his denialist character, but it is the first time he has done so with such absurd examples that have provoked a feeling of incredulity, stupefaction and almost hilarity throughout American sport for his comments, more typical of an illiterate or a madman than of an educated person.
Kyrie Irving once made headlines by becoming the spokesman for the anti-vaccine movement, listening to conspiracy theories that led him to miss dozens of games with the Nets, his team at the time, as well as a good part of his salary, which some sources put at around $16 million, half of his salary. All this before declaring himself a self-confessed flat-earther. Yes, for him the earth is flat.
It seemed impossible that any elite athlete could surpass that string of ravings, but it has not been. Another NBA player, Tyler Herro, the 25-year-old Miami Heat shooting guard, has come to the forefront of the news by unashamedly confessing that he does not believe in historical events prior to 1950, such as the discovery of America in 1492, nor in many events that took place afterwards, such as the moon landing in 1969 or Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100 points in 1962. This coming from a guy who supposedly studied at the University of Wisconsin and Kentucky is totally bizarre.
The Miami Heat star expressed his disbelief on Adin Ross and N3on’s Twitch channel, two very popular streamers in the United States. Everything went through the roof when a fan asked him if he thought the legendary Wilt Chamberlain would be among the top five players in today’s NBA. And his response left everyone speechless: “I don’t even know what Wilt looked like or how he played,” he said. “I don’t believe in that story. No, I’m dead,” he said, leaning back in his chair as he shook his head.
I don’t even know what Wilt was like or how he played. I don’t believe that story. No, I’m dead
Chamberlain’s 100-point game, which still stands as the NBA record for most points scored by a player in a single game, was not televised, but the record is well documented and was verified that night by Harvey Pollack, the Philadelphia Warriors’ game statistician.
Don’t believe anything that happened before 1950
His shocking answer left both streamers stunned, who asked Herro if he didn’t believe in things that happened 200 years ago. “Of course not,” he replied. “What about the moon landing?” they asked. “No, I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in anything that happened before 1950,” the Heat guard insisted.
No, I don’t believe in the arrival of man on the moon. I don’t believe in anything that happened before 1950
The Miami Heat player even questioned the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. “Seriously, how do we know? When did he land or something?”, Herro asked. “They said it was in 1492, but there’s really no way to know.”
How do we know when Columbus arrived on land or something like that? They said it was in 1492, but there’s no way of knowing… I don’t believe that shit
One of the streamers commented to the player that fans were railing against him and criticizing him for his claims, with many of them calling him “illiterate” or telling him that “he had never read a book”, while others gave credit to historians: “See? They believe that shit!”, said the guard about the people who criticized him in the chat. “I don’t believe that shit! I never read that shit in school”.
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