The National Basketball Association slapped Kyrie Irving with a $35,000 fine on Wednesday, because the Brooklyn Nets player continues to violate media access rules by refusing to attend news conferences and give interviews.
Irving is a repeat offender having been fined $25,000 earlier this season for declining to speak to reporters during the preseason.
The Nets organisation was also hit with a $35,000 fine Wednesday.
“The fines result from Irving’s repeated refusal to participate in team postgame media availability,” the NBA said in a news release.
Irving declined requests to speak to reporters after the Nets’ 124-118 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.
After the first fine in December, Irving eventually began talking to reporters again but not before he put out a tweet saying, “I do not talk to Pawns. My attention is worth more.”
Irving has played in 49 of the Nets’ 66 games this season. He is averaging 27 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

Knicks signing Argentina’s Luca Vildoza to 4-year deal
The New York Knicks and Argentine point guard Luca Vildoza have agreed in principle on a four-year, $13.6 million deal, the player’s agent told ESPN.
Alex Saratsis of Octagon Sports said his client will fly to New York from Spain, where he plays for Baskonia in the Spanish ACB League, once he clears the immigration process.
One of Europe’s premier playmakers, the 25-year-old Vildoza was expected to be one of the top free agents available after the 2020-21 season. According to the report, the Knicks had both the salary-cap room and the open roster space needed to get a jump on the competition and sign him now.
New York has reportedly negotiated a buyout with Baskonia to acquire the 6-foot-3 Vildoza, who led his team to a championship was named MVP of the 2020 Spanish ACB finals.
Internationally, Vildoza has helped Argentina win a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games and silver medals at the 2019 FIBA basketball World Cup and 2017 FIBA AmeriCup.
Four NBA players test positive for Covid-19
Four unidentified NBA players tested positive for Covid-19, the league and the National basketball Players Association said Wednesday. In all, 492 players were tested in the most recent reporting period, which began April 28. In the period from April 21-28, two new players returned confirmed positive tests of 488 tested.
Anyone who returns a confirmed positive test, or is identified as having been in close contact with an infected person, is isolated or quarantined until cleared under the rules established by the NBA and the Players Association in accordance with CDC guidance.