Nick Kyrgios defended for his on-court behaviour during charity basketball match after jerk sledge
When showman Nick Kyrgios stepped onto a basketball court for a charity game, one thing was playing on his mind. Later the tennis star was being criticised for it.
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‘I can’t lose this game — the media will give it to me if I lose.’
With those determined words and a steely look in his eye, tennis ace and passionate baller Nick Kyrgios ran on to the Qudos Bank Arena court alongside this short-statured scribe for the Sydney Kings’ All-Star Charity basketball game.
The match’s concept was to raise funds for sick children via the Starlight Foundation and Kyrgios was keen to put on a show.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Kyrgios attacked the rim, ran the floor, dropped buckets, and even produced two blocks.
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One on NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and the other on Miss Universe 2020, Maria Thattil.
Kyrgios has been criticised for being “unsportsmanlike” and a “jerk”, but as his teammate I can say these remarks are off the mark.
The tennis star went out of his way to welcome all the players competing in the game, especially the kids that played.
He high fived his teammates after every layup in the warm-up while he happily stopped to talk when approached.
Kyrgios dominated the game, dropping 16 points, but he still involved his teammates.
He even helped lift one young girl up in the air so she could dunk while he playfully guarded another child in a wheelchair.
Sure, Kyrgios’ levels lifted considerably at stages, but that is what the crowd wanted to see and he delivered.
As an athlete he has an inbuilt competitiveness, but add in his genuine love for hoops and there was personal pride on the line.
Kyrgios regularly plays pick-up basketball games and uses the sport as a vital part of his preparation for tennis.
He enjoys his hoops and he wanted to perform. Fair enough.
I’m happy to admit I treated the game in a similar vein. I may be five-foot nothing, and my glory years from Dubbo are done and dusted, but I still had the pre-game nerves to play well and contribute.
Kyrgios can’t win. If he performed poorly, he would’ve got hammered.
Now he is being criticised for taking it too seriously.
It’s a fine line.
That said, I don’t believe the charity game has to become an event for the serious basketballers or ex-professionals only.
You still need some fun and laughs.
The concept is about the kids, and raising money for the Starlight Foundation, so not everyone has to have hoops in their blood.
It’s a charity game, after all.
As far as Kyrgios is concerned, though, he did little wrong.
The polarising star doesn’t always read the memo, more on the tennis court, but on this occasion he nailed his brief.
Celebs leap into Kyrgios’ corner after bitter charity takedown
By Ben Horne
Celebrities have leapt to the defence of Nick Kyrgios after the tennis star was slammed for bringing a take-no-prisoners attitude to a charity game raising money for sick kids.
Kyrgios was labelled a disrespectful “jerk” by NBL hall of famer Steve Carfino for relentlessly blocking the shots of NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and 160cm Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil and for refusing to be substituted out of the game.
Sources confirmed that after the match Kyrgios was intimating to other players that he wouldn’t take part in the event again unless the standard of the match was raised.
However, rather than condemning Kyrgios for taking the game too seriously, his go hard or go home performance is set to be the trigger for the celebrity match being revamped next year to suit his style — with Ben Fordham among those giving a strong defence of Kyrgios’ character and approach.
Thattil told News Corp she was not put off by Kyrgios attitude on court, while his celebrity team coach, basketball legend Shane Heal took aim at opposition coach Carfino for his savage attack, and claimed Premier Perrottet was also “going hard”.
“I don’t think he would have been insulted that Nick threw his shit out of there, that’s part of basketball,” Heal said.
Miss Universe Thattil admitted she felt she was living in a Parallel Universe.
“Never in my life did I think I would be in a sporting headline alongside someone like Nick Kyrgios,” Thattil said.
“As far as I’m concerned it was all a bit of fun and I really enjoyed myself, I didn’t really think too much of it. It was entertaining and we raised so much money for the Starlight Foundation, so it’s all good.
“I didn’t go in expecting to make any slam dunks so it’s not like Nick has halted by NBL career.”
Kyrgios’ captain for the match, radio host Fordham said it was his call to leave the tennis ace out on the court for the entire game because “he delivers the show in show business” and credited him as the catalyst for the event raising $50,000 for the Starlight Foundation.
“Nick Kyrgios was extremely generous with his time and treated everyone with respect,” Fordham told News Corp.
“He went out of his way to welcome the kids who played with us and he has nothing to apologise for.
“The crowd wanted to see a real show and he delivered.
“He helped us raise $50,000 for Starlight and he was the number one attraction.
“As captain of our side, I made the call to leave him on court the whole time.
“He delivers the show in show business. If our rivals want to criticise us, they should call for a rematch!”
After Carfino called him out in extraordinary fashion on Fox Sports show The Back Page on Tuesday night, Kyrgios returned serve on Wednesday labelling the former NBL star a “potato” and taunting him for not making a career in the American NBA.
It sets the scene for a fiery celebrity rematch in 2023, which Heal hopes will be more competitive for Kyrgios.
“Steve is my boy but he needs to relax. I’ve already told him that. I feel for Nick because he can’t win either way. If he goes there and just doesn’t do much, people go, ‘oh, he’s not that good — and he’s been talking up his game.’ Or if he goes and plays against what’s in front of him then he’s playing too hard,” Heal told News Corp.
“I spoke to Paul Smith (Sydney Kings’ chairman) and I think the game will continue to evolve where you do bring in celebrities that really like basketball and can play basketball and it becomes a really good, high quality celeb event.
“…Ben Fordham, he’s got listeners and staff and they’re trying to play, but what it does is it deteriorates the quality of the game.
“Everyone is having fun and raising money but I think we can do both … and increase the quality of it with higher level celebrities that really like the game and can showcase their skills.
“You look at Jamie Soward (former NRL star) and Dan Ewing (actor), and they’re into it. They wanted to come out too and play because they play socially and they just love the game.”
Miss Universe defends Kyrgios after brutal NBL legend sledge
Nick Kyrgios has hit back at NBL hall-of-famer Steve Carfino after he called out the tennis star’s “unsportsmanlike” behaviour during a Sydney Kings celebrity match on the weekend.
Carfino was coaching the opposition team for the charity match on Sunday which raised money for the Starlight Foundation and was mystified at the disrespect Kyrgios showed for Premier Dominic Perrottet and Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil and called him a “jerk”.
Carfino did not hold back on Fox Sports program The Back Page on Tuesday night, calling out Kyrgios for blocking shots, refusing to pass to teammates or be substituted out of the game so others could have a run.
“I’m a pretty positive guy but this is a celebrity game. That’s the Premier right there. Have some respect,” said Carfino.
“He came out there to show his worth. I’m going to go on the record right here. Put the camera on me: What a jerk.
“My goodness. Man, what a lack of sportsmanship. He’s blocking girls’ shots. He’s not passing to his teammates. This is a celebrity game. There were funds to be raised for the Starlight Foundation. It was ridiculous.”
Responding to Carfino’s accusation, Kyrgios took to social media to hit back.
“Lack of respect? You potato, have a look at my foundation and look me in my eyes and tell me what lack of respect there is for that?” Kyrgios wrote.
“Maybe if you showed less sportsmanship your NBA career would have lasted longer (laugh emoji).”
.@NickKyrgios wasn't having this shot from NSW Premier @Dom_Perrottet in the @SydneyKings Celebrity Game 😳 pic.twitter.com/Z5SVfPNqy5
— The NBL (@NBL) April 24, 2022
During the otherwise lighthearted segment for The Back Page, Carfino made it clear he was deadly serious in his damning assessment of the tennis star’s behaviour on court in a match which also featured former NRL star Jamie Soward.
“No, I just thought it was unsportsmanlike. I don’t think it was the right moment to show how dominant you can be against Australia’s contestant for Miss World,” said Carfino.
Steve Carfino actually asked for the camera he put on him before he unloaded on Nick Kyrgios on Fox Sports Back Page. It was an epic serve.
— Robert Craddock (@craddock_cmail) April 26, 2022
Stunning spray from Steve Carfino over Nick Kyrgios’ performance in a charity basketball game on Fox Sports Back Page tonight. The biggest serve I can recall on the show.
— Robert Craddock (@craddock_cmail) April 26, 2022
Steve Carfino ripped into Nick Kyrgios on #TheBackPagepic.twitter.com/Wzm1mLHsDK
— Steve (@Ace_Previews) April 26, 2022
“He’s trying to block her shot. He’s going hard, blocking the shot of the Premier.
“He didn’t come out – refused to come out of the game. We had 18 players and we got everybody in. I think it was for the betterment of the game. That was the right thing to do, it was a celebrity game. Know where you’re at.”
Thattil defended Kyrgios, saying it was just a case of a sportsman being competitive.
“I’m not too fussed with the fact Nick Kyrgios blocked my shot,’’ she said.
“I’m going to take it as he saw me as a threat. Nick’s a sportsman and I think it was clear he wanted to do well.
“For a lot of us who don’t possess the same sporting prowess, we didn’t take it as seriously. His version of giving it his best is different to our version.
“Nick was engaging with the kids and we all did our best to raise a ton of money for a great cause.”
Carfino said his opposition coach for the celebrity game, Shane Heal may have inadvertently egged Kyrgios on after prompting an icy pre-game moment between Kyrgios and Carfino.
“ … Shane actually said, ‘Nick come over here, Carfino doesn’t think you can get 20 … and he looked at me like he was ready to kill me.’”
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