Kyrie Irving to be honored by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving will be honored by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in a ceremony next week in North Dakota, the tribe said in a news release, via ESPN.
“The celebration will include a naming ceremony, performances, and community feed at the Prairie Knights Pavilion, a casino in Fort Yates, North Dakota.
Irving’s late mother, Elizabeth Ann Larson, was adopted out of the White Mountain family of the tribe and his grandparents and great-grandparents were citizen of the tribe, according to the tribe’s release.
After undergoing season-ending knee surgery, Irving posted a message on Instagram that featured the Standing Rock tattoo he has on the back of his neck and ended the hashtag, #StandingRockSiouxTribe… In June, Irving’s released the ‘N7’ version of his Kyrie 4 basketball shoes which featured a Standing Rock seal on the heels of the shoes.
In its release about Irving’s ceremony, the tribe noted, ‘Kyrie has long known about his heritage and connection to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and was an active supporter of the NoDAPL movement.'”
The tribe is excited for the opportunity to host Irving.
“We could not be more excited, he has made us all very proud,” chairman Mike Faith said of the upcoming ceremony. “To know that he has not forgotten his roots and is taking the time before he starts his basketball season to visit the People, his People, shows that Kyrie has great character and pride in his heritage.”
On the ’17-18 season, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from three-point range in 60 appearances for the Celtics.
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