NEW YORK -- Kyrie Irving is helping to make sure WNBA players can sit out the season and not stress about a paycheck.
The Brooklyn Nets star is committing $1.5 million to supplement the income of players who choose not to play this season, whether because of coronavirus concerns or social justice reasons.
The funds will come from the KAI Empowerment Initiative that Irving launched Monday. It will also provide players with a financial literacy program created by UBS.
Irving said that with the help of WNBA players Natasha Cloud -- who chose to sit out -- and Jewell Loyd, he connected with several WNBA players who discussed with him the challenges they faced in deciding whether to play.